Howard County Maryland
Fire Watch

HOWARD COUNTY MARYLAND
Howard County Maryland Fire Watch Personnel
Code Compliance Guideline

In order to maintain a reasonable level of life safety in a structure with a compromised fire safety system, a fire watch is a temporary, emergency remedy. It is meant to permit ongoing habitation of a structure or facility that might not be safe to be occupied while necessary adjustments or repairs are being made. The goal of the fire watch is to routinely scan the entire building for fire or life safety emergencies and then notify all residents so they may respond as quickly as feasible.
 
The Office of the Fire Marshal, in accordance with Howard County Fire Code Title 17.104 Subsection
1.7.13, shall have the authority to require standby fire personnel (fire watch). A person failing to provide a fire watch or carry out the duties of a fire watch is subject to both civil and criminal penalties with fines up
to $1,000.
 
Owner/occupant Responsibilities

• The owner, agent or lessee shall employ one or more qualified persons, as required.
• A fire watch must be provided for the entire time that a system is out of service.
• Employees with a functional knowledge of the building layout and its systems are preferred.
However, participating in the fire watch is not an assignment for every employee. Employees
must be able to operate valves, climb stairs, dial phones and speak calmly and clearly in stressful
situation and manage people in an emergency.
• Employees may also be required to operate a fire extinguisher. However, the evacuation and
occupant’s safety are their primary responsibility.
• A minimum of one person per 100,000 sq. ft of building space, or one person for every five (5)
floors are required. Additional persons may be required by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
• The fire watch shall have the ability of communicating with the Howard County Police
Department, Division of Communications (911 Center).
• When multiple personnel are required, they shall have the ability to communicate with each other.
• Personnel used for the fire watch are to be used exclusively for this purpose.
 
Procedure

1. When the HCPD Division of Communications is notified that an alarm and/or sprinkler system is
to be out of service for more than four (4) hours they will notify the On Call Fire Investigator.
2. The On Call Fire Investigator will respond and evaluate the need and requirements for a fire
watch.
3. The building will be posted by the investigator with the following sign: “A FIRE PROTECTION
FEATURE IS OUT OF SERVICE. IN CASE OF A FIRE EMERGENCY, DIAL 911”. This shall
be posted at all entrances, on all floors and all areas. If the fire alarm is out of service, the sign
shall also be posted at each manual pull stations.


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