Firewatch, Fire Department Notification, and Fines: What Your Board Must Do When the Fire Alarm Goes Down

When a fire-alarm system is impaired, the corporation must implement the alternative measures required by its approved fire safety plan and applicable Fire Code requirements. Those measures may include a fire watch and fire department notification, depending on the building, the impairment, and direction from the Chief Fire Official. Understanding the approved impairment procedure before a shutdown occurs is an important part of emergency planning.

In City Site’s podcast “Ontario Fire Code Changes Condo Boards Need To Know in 2026” with Sam Soltani of The Trace Group, we discuss exactly what a board must do when a fire alarm is impaired or unavailable, alongside other fire watch procedures, notifications, and reducing exposure to fines. The discussion clarifies the sequence of decisions required when a life safety system is impaired.

It gives boards and managers a stronger framework for coordinating temporary protection, communicating with authorities, and restoring service promptly. Check out more information about this podcast here: #WeSpeakCondo podcast

What a Firewatch Actually Is

A fire alarm system monitors a building through devices such as smoke detectors, heat detectors, pull stations, and control signals. A firewatch may be used as a temporary human monitoring measure when an automatic system is impaired, but the exact staffing, patrol, notification, and communication requirements depend on the building's approved fire safety plan, impairment procedure, and any direction from the fire authority.

Failure to follow a required impairment or notification procedure may result in Fire Code enforcement, depending on the applicable provision and approved fire safety plan. Maximum penalties under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act apply on conviction.

The True Cost of a Prolonged Firewatch

A prolonged firewatch can create significant labour costs because coverage may be required continuously until the impairment is resolved. Staffing levels, patrol frequency, and duration are building-specific and should not be assumed to require two or three guards per shift. Advance planning for aging fire-alarm equipment can reduce the risk of an extended emergency impairment.

Planning a panel replacement allows the corporation to define the scope, confirm parts and equipment availability, and schedule the work. An emergency replacement may add firewatch and other unplanned costs, but the amount varies widely and should not be described as a predictable multiple of the panel cost.

How Boards Avoid the Firewatch Entirely

Lifecycle planning can reduce the chance that an aging fire-alarm panel fails unexpectedly. Boards should know the panel's age, manufacturer support status, parts availability, and recent inspection history. Older systems may present condition or support issues, but a qualified contractor or consultant should determine what the current S536 inspection results actually show.

The reserve fund study provides long-term funding and component-planning information, while a targeted panel assessment may provide more detailed project-specific condition and scope information. Boards can consider a targeted assessment before a major replacement approaches so that current technical information can inform tendering and reserve-fund planning.

The Cheapest Firewatch Is the One You Never Run

A reserve fund study is a legal requirement and a useful long-term funding and component-planning document. It should not automatically be treated as a detailed diagnostic assessment of every individual system. Because reserve-fund projections are estimates, boards may wish to obtain more detailed project-specific condition and pricing information as major work approaches.

For a deeper discussion of what a board must do when a fire alarm is impaired or unavailable, listen to the full #WeSpeakCondo episode with Sam Soltani of The Trace Group. The conversation adds useful perspective on fire watch procedures, notifications, and reducing exposure to fines, and is a helpful companion to this article.

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