Fire Watch Services in Orlando

When a fire alarm or sprinkler system goes down, the Orlando Fire Department can order a fire watch until it’s fixed. For fire watch Orlando property managers can count on, Atack Protection Group provides unarmed fire watch guards across Orlando, Kissimmee and Central Florida for hotels and resorts, apartment and condo buildings, offices, warehouses and job sites.

Led by CEO Hector Garcia, Atack Protection Group has 45 years in business and is disabled-veteran-owned and minority-owned. We are licensed and bonded in Florida. Call or text (954) 559-0486 for a free proposal.

When Orlando Requires a Fire Watch

Under the Florida Fire Prevention Code, a fire watch is usually needed when a fire alarm system is out of service for more than 4 hours in 24 (NFPA 72), when a sprinkler system is out for more than 10 hours in 24 (NFPA 25), or whenever the fire marshal orders one. For hot work, the watch lasts during the work and at least 60 minutes after it (NFPA 51B). The fire marshal decides what your building needs, so call them first.

Common reasons Central Florida properties call us:

• A fire alarm panel or sprinkler system that is impaired or under repair
• Hotels and resorts that need to stay open while a system is fixed
• New buildings where the fire systems aren’t active yet
• Welding, cutting and other hot work

What Our Fire Watch Guards Do

• Dedicated fire watch guards with no other duties while on the watch
• Foot patrols of the affected areas at the interval the fire marshal requires; in Orlando, plan on at least once an hour
• A fire watch log of every round, kept on site for the fire marshal, including the Orlando Fire Department’s Fire Watch Form where it applies
• A phone to call 911, and a working knowledge of where the extinguishers and exits are
• Alerting occupants and helping direct evacuation if there’s a fire
• Help notifying the fire marshal’s office and with any local fire watch agreement, and keeping the watch in place until the fire department says it can end

Guards stay on duty and awake until they are relieved, and they brief the guard who takes over. They don’t fight fires; they spot problems early, call 911 and get people out.

Fire Watch for Orlando Hotels, Apartments and Job Sites

Hotels, resorts and apartment buildings can’t simply close while a fire system is repaired. Our guards walk every affected floor, stairwell and back-of-house area on schedule and log each round. On construction sites, we watch hot work areas during the work and for as long after it as the permit requires. We can also post supplemental security: one guard on fire watch and a separate guard for security, so neither job is left uncovered.

Fire Watch Rules in Orlando, Orange County and Osceola County

• City of Orlando: the Orlando Fire Department’s Fire Life Safety Division handles fire watch. Its Fire Watch Form calls for personnel who patrol at least once each hour, 24 hours a day, are not assigned to other activities, keep a written record of rounds and stay awake until relieved. The responsible party signs to keep the watch while a licensed fire protection contractor makes the repairs. (Orlando Fire Department, OFD Fire Watch Form)
• Unincorporated Orange County: the Orange County Fire Rescue Office of the Fire Marshal is the authority. (Orange County Office of the Fire Marshal)
• Osceola County (Kissimmee area): the building owner posts the watch and may use hired security guards; the fire marshal must be told when the watch is posted. (Osceola County, Requirements for Posting a Fire Watch)

Winter Park, Apopka, Ocoee, Winter Garden and Maitland have their own departments or local rules. In every case, the fire marshal decides what the watch needs.

Fire Watch Across Central Florida

Beyond Orlando and Kissimmee, we provide fire watch guards in Sanford, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, Ocala and on the Space Coast in Brevard County. For security guards in the area, see security company Orlando.