Fire Alarm Panel Replacement

Fire Watch during Fire Alarm Panel Replacement

Your electrician just wheeled the old panel out and the new one wont arrive until tomorrow. The building is fully occupied and the marshal wants continuous watch. Here is how to run fire watch during fire alarm panel replacement without shutting down business or bleeding cash.

Step One: Notify Before You Disconnect

Call the fire marshal and your insurer the moment the contractor isolates the first zone. Email them the scope, start time, and expected completion. This 5 minute call saves you from surprise visits and claim denials.

Then book the guard. We average 68 minutes from hang up to arrival, so you stay inside the 4 hour window most cities allow.

Mapping Patrol Routes Without a Panel

Because the announcer is dead, the guard must physically check each pull station, horn, and strobe for damage or obstruction. We print a floor plan, mark every device with a red dot, and scan an NFC tag at each stop. The app timestamps the route so the marshal sees coverage even though the central brain is missing.

Communication Backup

Give the guard a radio tied to building security and a direct cell number for the electrician. If a manual pull is activated, the guard calls 911 first, then radios the lobby to begin evacuation. No panel, no problem.

Real Timeline From Last Week

A 10-story office in Phoenix started panel swap at 6 p.m. Our guard arrived at 7:08, logged 22 rounds, and spotted a melted pull station housing at 11:30 p.m. The electrician replaced the damaged device on the spot, avoiding a second visit and a second day of watch. Total invoice: $520. Total saved: $3 k in return fees.

Cost Control Tips

Schedule the swap during business hours when possible; night rates add 15 %. Bundle multiple floors so one guard covers the entire building instead of hiring separate watches per tenant.

Checklist for Smooth Handoff

1. Email marshal 24 hours ahead
2. Post guard 1 hour before panel shutdown
3. Print device map with NFC tags
4. Test radio channel with security
5. Log final round when new panel is online

Need fire watch during fire alarm panel replacement tonight? Call and we will have a certified guard on site in under 2 hours with pre-loaded floor plans and backup radios ready to go.

And remember, the new panel cannot protect anyone while it sits in a box. Keep watch continuous, keep logs digital, and keep the marshal on your side.