F01 Fire Guard Patrol Requirements 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of fire guard patrols in a building with impaired fire suppression systems?
- To replace the fire suppression system entirely during the impairment
- To detect fires early and alert occupants and FDNY since the automatic system cannot (Correct answer)
- To inspect the contractor's work quality
- To ensure building occupants do not use impaired areas
Correct answer: To detect fires early and alert occupants and FDNY since the automatic system cannot
When automatic fire suppression or detection systems are impaired, the fire guard patrol acts as a human detection layer to catch fires early and activate manual alarm and evacuation procedures.
Fire suppression and detection systems are the primary line of defense in a building. When these systems are taken out of service (e.g., during sprinkler valve closure or alarm panel work), FDNY requires a fire guard to conduct continuous or scheduled patrols of the affected areas. The fireguard's eyes and nose replace the smoke detectors and sprinklers, ensuring that any fire is caught early enough for manual suppression and evacuation before it grows uncontrollable.
Question 2: How often must an F-01 fireguard conduct patrols of the hot work area and affected floors during torch operations?
- Once at the beginning of the shift
- At least every 30 minutes throughout the shift
- Only when smoke or odors are detected
- Continuously, with no gaps of more than a few minutes (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Continuously, with no gaps of more than a few minutes
During active torch operations, the fireguard must maintain continuous patrol of the work area, always being within visual or close proximity to the hot work to detect ignitions immediately.
FDNY regulations for F-01 fireguards require continuous presence in and near the hot work area during torch operations. Unlike impairment fire watches where periodic patrols of multiple floors may be acceptable, active torch operations require the fireguard to maintain near-constant observation. The risk of immediate ignition is highest when the torch is lit, and any delay in detection could allow a fire to grow beyond what a portable extinguisher can control.
Question 3: During a patrol, an F-01 fireguard notices a burning smell but sees no visible smoke or flame. What action is required?
- Note the smell in the logbook and continue patrol
- Ignore it unless visible smoke appears
- Immediately investigate the source and, if fire is found or suspected, activate the alarm and call 911 (Correct answer)
- Report the smell to the building super and wait for their instruction
Correct answer: Immediately investigate the source and, if fire is found or suspected, activate the alarm and call 911
A burning smell is a potential indicator of a smoldering fire. The fireguard must immediately investigate the source. If a fire is found or strongly suspected in a concealed space, the alarm must be activated and 911 called.
Smoldering fires often produce a distinctive burning or charring odor well before visible smoke appears. This is especially common after torch operations, where a spark may have ignited insulation or wood inside a wall. An F-01 fireguard who detects such an odor must immediately trace it to its source. If the source cannot be confirmed as benign, the alarm should be activated as a precaution — false alarms are acceptable; undetected fires are not.
Question 4: What areas must be included in the F-01 fireguard's patrol during torch operations on an upper floor?
- Only the specific floor where torch work is occurring
- The hot work floor, the floor above, and the floor below (Correct answer)
- The hot work floor and the roof only
- The entire building equally
Correct answer: The hot work floor, the floor above, and the floor below
Heat and fire can travel through floor/ceiling assemblies. FDNY requires the fireguard to monitor the hot work floor, the floor directly above, and the floor directly below to catch any fire spread through structural elements.
When torch operations occur on an upper floor, the radiant heat and any fire can travel through the floor-ceiling assembly to the floors above and below. FDNY's F-01 requirements call for monitoring the work floor plus adjacent floors. Sparks can fall through openings to the floor below; heat conduction can ignite combustibles above. The fireguard must allocate patrol time to all three floors, prioritizing the work area while regularly checking adjacent floors during and after operations.
Question 5: What must a fireguard do before leaving a torch operations area for any reason (e.g., restroom break)?
- Leave a note explaining their absence
- Ensure the torch operator has shut down the torch and the area is safe, or arrange for a qualified replacement (Correct answer)
- Lock the torch equipment and post a no-entry sign
- Call 911 to inform them of a momentary gap in coverage
Correct answer: Ensure the torch operator has shut down the torch and the area is safe, or arrange for a qualified replacement
A fireguard must never leave the hot work area unattended. Before leaving, the torch must be shut down and the area confirmed safe, or a qualified replacement fireguard must be in place.
Continuous coverage is a legal requirement of the F-01 CoF. If the fireguard needs to leave the area even briefly, they have two options: (1) require all torch operations to cease and verify the area is safe before leaving, or (2) arrange for a qualified, certified replacement fireguard to take over. Simply walking away from an active hot work area creates an unacceptable fire risk and is a violation that can result in CoF revocation.
Question 6: At the end of a patrol, how should the F-01 fireguard document the completed patrol?
- No documentation is required unless something unusual is found
- Record the patrol time, areas covered, and any observations in the fire watch logbook (Correct answer)
- Send a text message to the building owner
- File a daily report with FDNY after each shift
Correct answer: Record the patrol time, areas covered, and any observations in the fire watch logbook
Each completed patrol must be logged in the fire watch logbook with the time, areas patrolled, and any observations or findings — even if the patrol found nothing abnormal.
The fire watch logbook is an official FDNY document. Each patrol must be recorded with the specific time, the areas covered, and a note of any findings. An 'all clear' entry is appropriate when nothing was found. This continuous record demonstrates compliance with FDNY patrol requirements and provides a defensible record if an incident later occurs. FDNY inspectors may review the logbook and can cite the fireguard for missing patrol entries.
F01 Fire Guard Patrol Requirements 2
What is the primary purpose of fire guard patrols in a building with impaired fire suppression systems?