Fire watch services in Metro Vancouver
A fire watch may be required by the fire authority or your insurer, for example while a sprinkler or fire alarm system is impaired or during hot work. Our trained fire watch personnel conduct scheduled or continuous patrols to monitor for signs of fire, identify potential fire hazards, and maintain detailed patrol logs. Services are provided in accordance with site-specific instructions and applicable fire authority requirements.
Need a fire watch tonight? Call. Don't use the form.
(672) 699-8229Have the address ready, which system is down, and who ordered the watch. We'll tell you on the call whether we can staff it and when.
Planning ahead, for booked hot work or a scheduled shutdown? Ask for a quote.
When a fire watch is needed
Usually when a sprinkler or fire alarm system is out of service for repair, during welding, cutting or grinding, on a construction site before the fire systems are live, or when the fire department orders one.
What the guard does
Walks a set route through the building without stopping, looks and smells for fire and smoke, checks that exits are clear and extinguishers are in place, and calls 911 and your contacts if there is a fire.
The log
Patrols are logged with the time and what was checked. Logs are kept in line with site-specific instructions and applicable fire authority requirements, and we'll add anything your insurer or the fire department asks to see.
The rule in Vancouver
The City of Vancouver requires a fire watch whenever a building's fire alarm or sprinkler system is off or not working, until a qualified technician restores it. Any uniformed member of Vancouver Fire Rescue Services can order one, and a written log of the watch has to be kept in time order. Hot work, construction and demolition can call for one too.
Other cities set their own rules, so check with the fire department that ordered the watch. Read the City of Vancouver's fire watch page.
What's included
- Continuous rounds on a route agreed for the building
- Detailed patrol logs, with times
- Checks of extinguishers, exits and hot-work areas
- A call to 911 and your contacts if there's a fire
- Cool-down watch after hot work stops
- Service in line with site instructions and fire authority requirements
Who it's for
Where it comes up most
How it starts
- 1.
You call or send the form
Tell us what the site is, where it is, and the hours you're thinking of.
- 2.
We look at the site with you
We walk the site, ask what has gone wrong before, and agree what the guard should do.
- 3.
Post orders and a written quote
You get the hours, the duties and the price in writing. The post orders are signed off by you before the first shift.
- 4.
The guard starts
A licensed guard, briefed on your post orders. Reporting follows what was agreed for your site.
Questions we get asked
Something else? Call (672) 699-8229.
When is a fire watch required?
It depends on the nature of the impairment, the applicable fire regulations and the direction of the relevant fire authority. Your fire department or insurer will tell you whether one is needed, and we supply the personnel.
How quickly can a fire watch start?
Call us at any hour. We will confirm on the call when a guard can be on site.
Will the logs meet our insurer's requirements?
Requirements vary between insurers and fire authorities. Tell us what yours asks for and we will set up the patrol log to record it. We recommend confirming the specific requirements with your insurer.
Do you cover hot work on construction sites?
Yes. The guard monitors the work area during hot work and remains for the cool-down period afterwards.
Areas we serve
Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley: Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, New Westminster, West Vancouver, Port Moody, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Langley, White Rock, Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
Let's discuss your security needs
Every property has unique security requirements. Contact Westbay Security to discuss your needs, explore available security services, and request a customized quote for your property or business.