Quick answer
Under 8 hours, yes. In Everett, an employee of the owner or business who is at least 21, or a technician from the company repairing the system, can do the fire watch.
Over 8 hours, no. The City of Everett requires a licensed security guard from a third-party company, with an invoice that shows they were hired. That rule comes from the Everett Fire Marshal's Fire Watch Guide (Information Handout C-2, May 1, 2024).
Everett fire watch rules at a glance
| 8 hours or less | 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 |
| Rounds | At least every 30 minutes if the building is occupied, every hour if it is empty | |
| Log | Kept on site, sent to the Fire Marshal's Office | Kept on site, sent to the Fire Marshal's Office every day |
| Tell your insurance company | Not listed | Yes |
| Tell the people in the building | Yes | Yes, with how long the system will be down |
What the person on fire watch has to do
- Watch for fire and nothing else. Everett defines a fire watch as a person on site whose only job is to watch for fire. No front desk, no cleaning, no side jobs.
- Walk every area on schedule. At least every 30 minutes if people are in the building, at least every hour if it is empty.
- Write it down every round. The log stays on site and goes to the Fire Marshal's Office at fmo@everettwa.gov. Over 8 hours, it goes in every day until the fire watch ends.
- A way to call the fire department. A phone is enough. If they see smoke or fire, they call right away.
Who you have to notify
- Everett Fire Department, through the Fire Marshal's Office at (425) 257-8120, when the system goes down and again when it is fixed.
- Your alarm monitoring company.
- The people in the building. If it will be more than 8 hours, tell them how long the system is expected to be out.
- Your insurance company, if it will be more than 8 hours.
Hot work: the 30-minute rule
If someone is cutting, welding, brazing or grinding, the fire watch does not end when the work does. In Everett it has to continue for at least 30 minutes after the work is finished. Hot spots can smolder in walls and roofs long after the torch is off.
Not in Everett? Marysville is different
Each fire department sets its own rules. In the Marysville Fire District, the owner can use a competent adult for the first 48 hours. After that, the fire watch must come from a licensed and bonded private security company. Rounds are every 15 minutes where people sleep, in institutional buildings and in occupied assembly spaces, and every 30 minutes everywhere else. Daily logs go to MFInspectors@mfdrfa.org.
In Lynnwood, Mukilteo, Edmonds, Mill Creek, Lake Stevens or unincorporated Snohomish County, call your local fire marshal before you start. They have the final say.
The part that gets checked: the log
A 24-hour fire watch in an occupied building means at least 48 rounds a day, every one written down. That is where most fire watches get into trouble: a missed round, a blank line, a log nobody can read.
When American Patrol LLC runs 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. We are a licensed security company based in Everett, at 500 SE Everett Mall Way, with patrols running day and night across Snohomish County.
Need a fire watch 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
Can my own employee do a fire watch in Everett, WA?
Only for a short outage. If the fire watch lasts 8 hours or less, an employee of the owner or business who is at least 21 can do it, or a technician from the company fixing the system. If it lasts more than 8 hours, the City of Everett requires a licensed security guard from a third-party company, with an invoice that shows they were hired.
How often does a fire watch have to walk the building in Everett?
At least every 30 minutes if the building is occupied, and at least every hour if it is empty. The person on fire watch should have no other job while on duty.
Where do I send the fire watch log in Everett?
Keep the log on site and email it to the Everett Fire Marshal's Office at fmo@everettwa.gov. If the fire watch lasts more than 8 hours, send it every day until the fire watch ends.
Do I have to tell my insurance company about a fire watch?
In Everett, yes, if the system will be out for more than 8 hours. You also need to tell the fire department, your alarm monitoring company and the people in the building, including how long the system is expected to be down.
What are the fire watch rules in Marysville, WA?
The Marysville Fire District lets the owner use a competent adult for the first 48 hours. After 48 hours, the fire watch must come from a licensed and bonded private security company. Rounds are every 15 minutes where people sleep, in institutional buildings and in occupied assembly spaces, and every 30 minutes everywhere else. Daily logs go to MFInspectors@mfdrfa.org.
How long does a fire watch last after hot work?
In Everett, a hot work fire watch has to continue for at least 30 minutes after the cutting, welding or grinding is finished.
This is a plain-English summary of public fire watch rules, checked on October 29, 2026. It is not legal advice. Your local fire marshal has the final say on your building.