Fire Watch Officer Training Standards

• Purpose and legal basis of a fire watch, and the limits of the assignment
• Recognizing signs and conditions of fire: smoke, odor, heat, discoloration, abnormal equipment behavior
• Immediate response sequence: alert occupants, call 911, then act only within trained limits
• Safe use of portable fire extinguishers on incipient stage fires (PASS method)
• Executing the building's fire control and evacuation plan, including defend-in-place occupancies
• Patrol route planning so every affected floor, corridor, stairwell, and concealed space is covered on interval

• 29 CFR 1910.36 and 1910.37 — exit route design, maintenance, and keeping means of egress unobstructed
• 29 CFR 1910.38 — emergency action plans, alarm procedures, and occupant accountability
• 29 CFR 1910.155–165 — fire protection subpart, extinguishers, and employee alarm systems
• Hazard communication and recognition of ignition sources during patrol
• Incident reporting and personal protective equipment expectations

• WAC 296-800 — Safety and Health Core Rules governing every Washington worksite
• WAC 296-24-585 — fire protection and employee alarm system requirements
• WAC 296-24-567 — portable fire extinguisher requirements and inspection expectations
• Washington-specific accident prevention program and reporting duties
• State licensing and certification requirements for security personnel performing fire watch duties

• When the Seattle Fire Department requires a fire watch and who must be notified
• Impairment reporting before and after work on alarm, sprinkler, or standpipe systems
• Required patrol intervals and continuous-coverage expectations for the duration of the impairment
• Officer duties defined by the AHJ, including immediate 911 notification and occupant warning
• Information the fire marshal expects to find in the fire watch log during inspection

• Every pass recorded with date, time, officer name, area covered, and conditions observed
• Contemporaneous entries — logs are written during the watch, never reconstructed afterward
• Documenting deficiencies, blocked egress, and any notification made to management or 911
• Supervisor review of logs each shift and correction of gaps in coverage
• A digital copy of the fire watch log delivered to ownership and management so coverage can be verified remotely
• Retention of records for fire marshal inspection, insurance, and liability protection

Ongoing Qualification

• Background screening and Washington State security licensing verified before deployment
• Site-specific orientation covering the building's fire control plan, alarm devices, and egress routes
• Field supervision with unannounced site checks during active fire watch assignments
• Refresher training and post-assignment debriefs after every significant incident
• Documented training files available to ownership on request