Fire Watch Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: What a fire watch is and when it is needed

A fire watch is a person, or a team, who patrols a building to look for fire and warn people. It is used when the building's normal fire protection is not fully working. In that time, you are the smoke detector and the alarm bell.

Fire codes across Canada are based on the National Fire Code. They require that fire protection systems be kept working. When part of a system is shut down, alternative measures must be taken. A fire watch is the most common alternative measure.

Common reasons for a fire watch

• The fire alarm system is off line or in trouble.
• The sprinkler system is shut down or impaired.
• Detectors are bypassed for work that makes dust or heat.
• Hot work, such as welding, cutting or grinding, is being done.
• The fire department or the owner orders one for another reason.

A fire watch is a short-term measure. It does not fix anything. The owner must still get the system repaired by a qualified service company as soon as possible.

Who must be told

Rules about notice are set by each city or fire department, so they differ. For example, Vancouver's fire watch order asks for a call when a system is out of service for more than 4 hours in 24 hours. Medicine Hat asks for a call if fire alarm or detection is out for more than 2 hours. The monitoring station that watches the alarm must also be told when the system goes out and when it comes back. Your post orders should say who makes these calls.

Lesson 2: Getting ready for the watch

Before your first round, get the tools and information you need. Fire department fire watch duties list items like these:

• A radio or phone to call for help
• An air horn or whistle to alert occupants
• A flashlight
• A clipboard, pen and the fire watch log sheets
• A copy of the fire watch duties
• Keys or access codes for every area you must check
• A floor plan, if one is available

Know the building

• Which system is out, and which floors or zones it covers
• Where the exits, stairs, pull stations and extinguishers are
• The building's fire safety plan and where it is kept
• Who in the building may need help to leave, and where they are

Fire watch staff should be easy to identify, for example by uniform. Vancouver's order also asks that staff keep radio contact and have a designated supervisor.

A fire watch should be your only duty. Some procedures, such as Queen's University's, say the watcher must not take on other tasks unless it is approved, and must not leave until the system is restored or someone relieves them.

Lesson 3: Patrolling and what to look for

The fire department or the site sets how often you patrol. Here are examples from Canadian fire departments:

Always follow the stricter rule that applies to your site. Cover all affected areas on each round, including stairwells, storage rooms, service rooms and the roof if you are told to check it.

On each round, check for

• Smoke, burning smells, heat or unusual sounds
• Exits and corridors that are blocked or locked shut
• Fire doors wedged open
• Hot work or smoking where it is not allowed
• Piles of rubbish or other combustibles near heat sources
• Signs posted that tell occupants which system is out

Lesson 4: Keeping the fire watch log

The fire watch log proves the watch was done. It also helps the next guard and the fire department. Write in it right after each round, never later from memory.

Each entry should include

• The building address and the area or floor checked
• The date and the time the round was finished
• What you saw, such as "all clear" or a hazard you found and what you did
• Your initials or signature

Keep entries in time order. Use a new sheet each day and extra sheets for extra floors if your site asks for it. Vancouver's order also asks staff to list the names and locations of people with a disability who may need help to leave.

Keep the log on site until the system is back in service. Then hand it in as your site instructs.

Lesson 5: If you find fire or smoke

If the alarm is out of service, nobody else will warn the occupants. Act fast and in this order:

1. Alert the occupants with your air horn, whistle or other approved signal. Some sites use a set pattern, such as three long blasts.
2. Call 911 from a safe area. Give the address, what you see and where.
3. Fight the fire only if it is small, you are trained and it is safe. If not, close the door and leave.
4. Help people evacuate, especially those who need help.
5. Meet the fire department at a safe spot and tell them what you know.
6. Do not re-enter until the fire department says it is safe.

Lesson 6: Hot work fire watch and ending the watch

Hot work is work that makes sparks or flames, like welding, cutting and grinding. Sparks can land in cracks and smoulder for a long time before a fire starts. Fire codes, such as the Manitoba Fire Code used in Winnipeg, set rules like these:

• A fire watch during the hot work and for at least 60 minutes after it is finished
• A final inspection 4 hours after the work is finished
• At least one portable fire extinguisher in the work area
• Combustibles within 15 m protected from sparks if they cannot be moved
• Openings and holes in nearby walls and floors covered, and checked afterwards

Sprinkler problems and hot work do not mix. Several fire watch procedures say hot work is not allowed where sprinklers are impaired unless approved precautions are in place.

Ending the fire watch

End the watch only when you are told that the alarm and sprinklers are confirmed fully working. Then the fire department and the monitoring station are told the system is back. Record the time the watch ended and hand in your log.