Fire Prevention: Think Security Guard Companies

A fire engine roars past your car with its siren screeching. Sirens signal danger – especially the sound of a fire engine or smoke alarm. You know that someone’s home or building is on fire and their lives will be changed forever.

Danger is a situation that nobody wants to tangle with.But security guard companies are used to dealing with dangerous situations – their security guards are running in when everyone else is running out. Often people think of security guards protecting property from vandals and damage, but security guard companies offer more than theft protection.

Professional Fire Watch Services

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a staggering 1,345,500 fires were reported in 2015 in the United States resulting in the tragic loss of 3,280 lives.¹ And every 34 minutes a civilian was injured by fire.²Every 34 minutes!

Fires are dangerous and fire prevention is critical. Smoke detectors, smoke alarms, fire doors, sprinkler systems, and brightly lit exit signs are crucial to preventing injury from fires. But what about the addition of professionally trained Fire Watch Guards from a security guard company to the arsenal of fire prevention techniques?

Fire Guards Protect Property and Lives

In the U.S. a whopping $14.3 billion of property damage by fire occurred in 2015 according to the NFPA.³Even with today’s buildings being constructed offering better fire resistance, it’s not enough.

Fire Guards employed by security guard services play an important role in protecting lives and property. The guards are there ready to call the fire department at the first sign of trouble including:

• Power outages: power failures can wreak havoc. Most people think of food spoiling in their fridge or how they’re going to charge their cell phone or tablet. But what if your building’s smoke alarm system stops working and a fire starts? Without a Fire Watch Guard on the premises to immediately notify the fire department precious lives could be lost and property damaged. Is the risk really worth it?

• Water shut offs: modern buildings are equipped with sprinkler systems but it’s impossible for the sprinkler system to work without water. The water gets shut off in buildings for lots of reasons – the city is doing work outside, building repairs, or problems with the plumbing system.

• Unprotected construction sites: what do you see when you walk past a construction site – unfinished structures, heavy construction equipment and expensive building materials. Often insurance companies want some means of fire detection available on-site when fire prevention systems haven’t been installed yet. Fire Watch Guards can monitor the property and call the fire department preventing property damage and injuries. And if the electricity hasn’t been connected to the building, fire watch is a must.

Fires happen. But security guard companies are helping to prevent loss and keep people safe. In 2015 the NFPA reported 15,700 civilian injuries by fire in the U.S. alone.⁴ It’s time to consider Fire Watch Guards as a vital part of any fire prevention plan.

^1,2,3,4 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Statistics, http://www.nfpa.org/news-and-research/fire-statistics-and-reports/fire-statistics