Waking Watch is a fire safety measure used in some residential and other buildings where additional fire detection and evacuation support is required. Trained personnel monitor the building and respond to signs of fire. The need for a Waking Watch should be determined by the Responsible Person based on the building’s risk assessment.

What Is Waking Watch?

A Waking Watch provides continuous monitoring of a building through regular patrols and observation of common areas. Personnel look for signs of heat, smoke, or fire and follow established procedures to raise the alarm and alert residents when necessary.

At Pro Sentry, our Waking Watch teams provide 24/7 patrols and monitoring, helping support the building’s fire safety and evacuation arrangements.

When Is Waking Watch Used?

A Waking Watch may be considered where a building has identified fire safety issues and additional fire safety measures are needed while longer-term work is being carried out.

Factors that may contribute to the need for additional fire safety measures can include:

• Fire safety defects identified through a competent assessment

• Issues affecting the building's evacuation strategy

• Concerns relating to external wall systems or other building features

• A need for additional fire detection and resident alerting while remediation is underway

• Temporary gaps in fire safety arrangements

The exact measures required depend on the individual building and its risk assessment. The Responsible Person should put appropriate fire safety measures in place based on advice from a competent fire safety professional.

How Does a Waking Watch Work?

A professional Waking Watch service normally involves trained personnel being present on site and following a defined patrol and reporting procedure.

Key activities can include:

• Regular patrols: Monitoring common areas and other agreed areas of the

• Fire detection: Looking for signs of smoke, heat, or

• Raising the alarm: Taking appropriate action when a fire is

• Resident alerting: Alerting residents in accordance with the building's evacuation

• Incident reporting: Recording observations and providing reports to the responsible client or property team.

• Emergency support: Working with the fire and rescue service when

Pro Sentry provides scheduled patrols and reporting, with reporting arrangements that can be agreed according to the requirements of the site.

Why Is Waking Watch Important?

The purpose of a Waking Watch is to provide an additional layer of human monitoring where additional fire safety measures are considered necessary.

A visible and properly organised team can help with:

• Early identification of potential fire

• Prompt communication of an incident

• Resident awareness during an emergency

• Regular monitoring of common areas

• Reporting fire safety concerns

• Supporting the agreed evacuation strategy

Waking Watch and Long-Term Fire Safety

It is important to understand that Waking Watch is generally a temporary fire safety measure, rather than a replacement for permanent fire safety remediation.

In England, current government support through the Interim Measures Alarm Fund is intended to help replace or mitigate reliance on Waking Watch through interim alarm systems while longer-term remediation takes place.

For building owners and property managers, this means Waking Watch should form part of a wider fire safety strategy where it has been identified as necessary.

Choosing a Waking Watch Company

When choosing a Waking Watch company, property managers and responsible persons should consider the provider's experience, staff training, patrol procedures, reporting arrangements and ability to work with the building's existing fire safety arrangements.

The service should be based on the specific requirements of the building, including its layout, occupancy, evacuation arrangements and identified fire safety risks.

Pro Sentry Waking Watch Services

Pro Sentry provides Waking Watch Services for residential and commercial buildings, with trained fire marshals and Waking Watch security personnel providing 24/7 monitoring and scheduled patrols.

Our service includes:

• 24/7 building monitoring

• Regular fire safety patrols

• Fire and smoke detection

• Resident alerting and evacuation support

• Incident and patrol reporting

• Support for emergency services

Pro Sentry currently provides Waking Watch services across London, Manchester and Birmingham, with service arrangements based on the requirements of each building.

Conclusion

Waking Watch can provide an important interim layer of fire safety support where a competent fire safety assessment identifies the need for additional monitoring and resident alerting. However, it should be considered within the wider fire safety strategy for the building, alongside appropriate remediation and longer-term measures.

If you need professional Waking Watch Services, Pro Sentry can discuss your building's requirements and provide suitable monitoring and patrol service.