Quick answer
When a fire alarm or sprinkler system is out of service in Everett, you need a fire watch: a person whose only job is to walk the building and watch for fire, 24 hours a day until the system is fixed and the Fire Marshal's Office verifies it.
If the outage is 8 hours or less, your own employee (21+) can do it. If it is more than 8 hours, Everett requires a licensed security guard from an outside company. Source: Everett Fire Marshal's Fire Watch Guide, Information Handout C-2 (May 1, 2024).
Step 1: Make the calls
- Everett Fire Marshal's Office: (425) 257-8120. Call when the system goes out of service, and again when it is fixed.
- Your fire alarm monitoring company. They need to know the system is down.
- A certified repair company. Only a certified company can return the system to service.
- The people in the building. If it will be more than 8 hours, tell them how long it is expected to be down.
- Your insurance company, if it will be more than 8 hours.
Step 2: Put a fire watch in place right away
| Out 8 hours or less | Out more than 8 hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can do it | Your own employee (21+) or the repair company's technician | A licensed security guard from an outside company, with an invoice |
| Paperwork | Fire watch log | Fire watch log, plus a signed Fire Watch Acknowledgement form sent to the Everett Fire Department |
| Log goes to the Fire Marshal | Until the fire watch ends | Every day until the fire watch ends |
| Who is responsible | The building's representative becomes the Impairment Coordinator (IFC 901.7.1 and 901.7.6) | |
Repairs often take longer than planned. A part has to be ordered, the inspector cannot come until tomorrow, the panel needs a second visit. If there is any chance the outage runs past 8 hours, plan for a licensed guard from the start so you are not scrambling at midnight.
Step 3: Walk the building and log every round
- Every 30 minutes if the building is occupied. Every hour if it is empty.
- Fire watch only. The person on watch does nothing else while on duty.
- A way to call the fire department, and knowing where the fire extinguishers are.
- A written log for each round: the time, the areas checked, the conditions found and the person's initials. The log stays on site and is emailed to fmo@everettwa.gov.
The person on fire watch is not expected to enter private apartment or hotel units, and does not fight fires beyond what an ordinary citizen would do. Their job is to spot fire early and call for help.
Step 4: End it the right way
The fire watch ends only when a certified company has returned the system to service and the Everett Fire Marshal's Office has verified it. For outages over 8 hours, send the Everett Fire Department a letter of certification once the system works again.
Too many false alarms? That can trigger a fire watch too
Everett's guide says the Fire Code Official can require a fire watch when a building has too many accidental or nuisance alarms, and the owner can be charged for emergency responses to false alarms. If your alarm keeps going off for no reason, get it serviced before it turns into a fire watch order.
How American Patrol LLC handles a fire watch
We are a licensed security company based in Everett, at 500 SE Everett Mall Way, with patrols running day and night across Snohomish County. When we run your fire watch, every round is logged while it happens with the time, GPS location, officer ID and photos. You can open the log from your phone, and it is ready to send to the Fire Marshal's Office.
System down right now?
Call and we will tell you exactly when an officer can be on site. See our fire watch service for details.
Call (800) 555-1603 Request a quoteFrequently asked questions
My fire alarm is broken in Everett. Do I need a fire watch?
Yes. When a fire alarm or sprinkler system is out of service in Everett, the Fire Marshal's Fire Watch Guide requires a fire watch, 24 hours a day, until the system is repaired by a certified company and verified by the Everett Fire Marshal's Office.
Who can do the fire watch while my fire alarm is being repaired?
If the system will be out 8 hours or less, an employee of the owner or business who is at least 21, or a technician from the repair company, can do it. If it will be out more than 8 hours, Everett requires a licensed security guard from a third-party company, with an invoice that shows they were hired.
Who do I call when my fire alarm or sprinklers go down in Everett?
Call the Everett Fire Marshal's Office at (425) 257-8120, your fire alarm monitoring company, and a certified repair company. Tell the people in the building. If it will be more than 8 hours, also tell your insurance company and give everyone an estimate of how long the system will be down.
How often does a fire watch walk the building?
At least every 30 minutes if the building is occupied and at least every hour if it is empty. Every round is written in a log that stays on site and is emailed to fmo@everettwa.gov.
When does the fire watch end?
Only when the system has been returned to service by a certified company and verified by the Everett Fire Marshal's Office. For outages over 8 hours, you also send the Everett Fire Department a letter of certification once the system works again.
Can too many false alarms lead to a fire watch?
Yes. Everett's guide says the Fire Code Official can require a fire watch when a building has an excessive number of accidental or nuisance alarms, and the property owner can be charged for emergency responses to false alarms.
This is a plain-English summary of the City of Everett's public fire watch rules, checked on October 29, 2026. It is not legal advice. Outside Everett, your local fire department sets its own rules. Your fire marshal has the final say on your building.