Fire Watch and Emergency Security Response – New York Avenue, Washington DC

Background

The building's fire alarm went off unexpectedly on a Thursday evening. The technician found a malfunction and contacted several fire watch providers, but no one answered after hours. At 7 p.m., they called Urgent Security & Fire Watch and got immediate help.

• Other vendors didn’t answer after hours, but Urgent Security & Fire Watch did.

• Fire code required someone to watch the building 24/7 until the system was fixed.

• The client needed a company that handles quick, short-term emergency responses.

Challenge

With the fire alarm down, the building needed fire watch officers quickly to comply with the regulations. The building’s schedule was tricky, from early mornings to evenings on weekdays and weekends. Midway, the entrance door broke. As a result, unarmed security guards were also needed.

• Needed 5 fire watch officers to cover the building full-time without delays.

• Coverage was needed Monday to Friday and Saturdays during the day.

• The building’s broken door meant extra security had to be added mid-project.

Approach

Within 90 minutes, five fire watch officers were sent to the building. Urgent Security & Fire Watch guided the client through the fire watch compliance required. The fire watch plan was submitted and approved by the fire marshal. The account manager maintained close contact with the property manager and officials. When the door broke, an extra officer was assigned and onsite within 2 hours.

• Fire watch officers arrived fast; the fire watch plan was filed quickly in compliance with the regulations.

• Fire watch officers’ patrols were tracked live using GPS and audits.

• Added security to the broken door right away to keep everything secure.

duration and oversight

The fire watch and added security support ran for roughly two and a half weeks. During this time, the team stayed on a consistent schedule and kept in close contact with the fire marshal and building management to make sure everything stayed on track.

• Fire watch coverage ran for about one week, followed by an additional week of security at the entrance door.
• Three separate fire marshal inspections were completed and all were passed without issues.
• No coverage gaps or performance problems were reported during the entire assignment.

the results

The team deployed five fire watch officers within 90 minutes, meeting the emergency timeline perfectly. The building stayed fully compliant with fire marshal inspections throughout the assignment. When the entrance door broke, security coverage was added without any downtime. The fire watch officers logged all patrols and check-ins carefully so everything was fully audited and approved. After the fire alarm was fixed, the fire marshal approved the fire watch termination. Overall, the client was very happy with the fast, professional, and flexible service.

• Fire watch officers were on site within 90 minutes, meeting emergency needs.

• All fire marshal inspections passed without violations.

• Coverage expanded smoothly to include security for a broken entrance door.

• Patrol logs and GPS check-ins were closely tracked and audited.

• Fire marshal approved ending fire watch after system was repaired.

• Client praised speed, professionalism, and adaptability over 2.5 weeks.

Account Management

Rudo Robinson kept tight control of the project. He stayed in regular contact, coordinated with the fire marshal, and managed all staffing. His work made sure everyone knew what was happening and problems got fixed fast.

• Rudo made quick decisions that let fire watch officers start security at the broken door immediately.

• He handled all fire marshal paperwork and approvals for fire watch.

• He kept the client up-to-date every day to avoid surprises.

Conclusion

This case study demonstrates Urgent Security & Fire Watch's core strength: rapid response to after-hours emergency situations requiring both fire watch and security expertise.

When other vendors did not answer their phones, this building received an immediate response and full deployment within 90 minutes.

The assignment illustrates operational flexibility, what began as standard fire watch coverage evolved into concurrent fire watch and security operations when circumstances changed.

Rather than referring the client elsewhere for additional security, Urgent Security & Fire Watch adapted staffing in real-time, maintaining continuity and eliminating complexity for building management.

The three separate fire marshal inspections and subsequent approval for termination confirm that Urgent Security & Fire Watch's compliance protocols, patrol tracking, GPS verification, and mandatory audit documentation, exceeded regulatory standards.