Fire inspections, verification and monitoring

Fire protection systems in Canadian buildings must be installed, verified, monitored and inspected to specific standards, and much of that work has to be done by qualified fire protection technicians. We give owners an independent view of their fire protection systems and the paperwork behind them, and we coordinate the required verification, testing and monitoring so nothing falls through the cracks.

Fire protection is spread across many contractors and many standards: alarm systems, sprinklers, standpipes, extinguishers, emergency lighting, fire separations and the fire safety plan. Each has its own inspection schedule. Owners are responsible for all of it, and gaps are easy to miss until a fire inspector or an insurer asks for records.

What we look at

• Fire alarm systems: panel condition and trouble signals, devices, annunciators, and the most recent verification and annual inspection reports.
• Monitoring: whether the system is connected to a monitoring station, what signals are sent and when the connection was last tested.
• Sprinkler and standpipe systems: visible condition, valves and their supervision, signage, and inspection records.
• Portable fire extinguishers: placement, access, tags and monthly checks.
• Emergency lighting and exit signs: operation and test records.
• Fire separations and doors: closers, latching, hold-open devices and penetrations through rated assemblies, where visible.
• Fire safety plan and records: whether a plan exists, is current, and matches the building as it is used today.

How it works

1. We start with why. A fire inspection order, a change of use, a renovation, a purchase or a new property manager each lead to a different scope.
2. Record review. We gather verification reports, annual inspection reports, monitoring agreements and the fire safety plan.
3. Site walkthrough. We inspect visible systems and conditions throughout the building and note discrepancies with the records.
4. Coordination. Where verification, annual testing or monitoring changes are needed, we bring in qualified fire protection contractors and manage the schedule.
5. Close-out. We track deficiencies through to correction and assemble the records in one place.

What you get

A written report on the state of your fire protection systems and records, a list of open deficiencies and who should correct them, and a schedule showing which inspections and tests are due and when. When we coordinate contractors, you also get the completed reports filed together, so you can answer a fire inspector's or insurer's request quickly.

For owners with more than one building, a consistent record set across the portfolio makes it much easier to see which sites are up to date and which need attention.

Who it's for

• Property and facility managers responsible for fire code compliance.
• Owners who have received a fire inspection order or insurer request.
• Tenants making changes to a space that affect the fire alarm or sprinklers.
• Condominium boards and owners of multi-unit residential buildings.

Learn more in our guides to fire alarm system inspections, fire alarm verification, how fire alarm monitoring works and sprinkler system inspections.

Common questions