State Requirements
How Long Can a Sprinkler System Stay Down Before You Need a Fire Watch?
NFPA 25 gives a sprinkler outage 10 hours and an alarm outage 4 hours before a fire watch is required. Here's how the clock works and what a guard does.
Does a Lightning-Strike Apartment Fire Trigger a Fire Watch?
A suspected lightning strike destroyed a Kansas apartment complex. See when NFPA 101 requires a fire watch on the buildings next door.
Does a School Fire Trigger a Mandatory Fire Watch?
A Syracuse middle school fire raises the evacuate-or-watch question. Learn when NFPA 101 forces a documented fire watch after a school incident.
Who Is Qualified to Perform a Fire Watch?
Who can stand a fire watch? See how AHJ approval, training, dedicated coverage, and local licensing decide whether your employee or a contract guard qualifies.
Does a Construction Site Fire Investigation Require a Fire Watch?
A South Bend construction site fire is under investigation with a crane still to be removed. Learn when NFPA 241 requires a fire watch during that gap.
Does a Malfunctioning Fire Alarm Require a Fire Watch?
A custodian found beeping alarm panels at 20+ Antioch schools. Learn when a failed fire alarm legally requires a fire watch.
How Often Should a Fire Watch Patrol Be Completed?
No single code sets a fire watch interval. Learn who actually sets the clock, the route math behind staffing, and how to document it before the watch starts.
Does an Apartment Fire Trigger a Fire Watch If There Are No Sprinklers?
A Wisconsin apartment fire with no sprinklers shows when NFPA 101 forces an evacuate-or-watch call and what happens next.
When Does Welding Require a Fire Watch?
A fatal Fort Worth welding explosion shows when NFPA 51B and OSHA require a hot-work fire watch, the 35-foot rule, and the post-work window.
Do You Need a Written Fire Watch Checklist?
A fire marshal's order means nothing without a written fire watch checklist. Here's what belongs on it, and why guards fail without one.
Does an Apartment Fire Trigger a Mandatory Fire Watch After the Flames Go Out?
A nine-story apartment fire sent 13 to the hospital. Here is when the aftermath legally requires an emergency fire watch, and what the guard must do.
What Does a Texas Fire Marshal’s Hot-Work Order Require?
Texas drought rules tightened hot-work controls. See why teams need a valid permit, a set fire watch, stop-work authority, logs, and signed release each shift.