Environmental Health and Safety

Fire Guard Service

This procedure will be implemented for campus facilities when the fire protection system is inoperable for more than four hours in a 24-hour period.  Fire Guard service is provided through the UT Tyler Police department.

Responsibilities

• Environmental Health & Safety:

1. Coordinate familiarization tours with the Tyler Fire Department.
2. Provide training for all Fire Guards where applicable.
3. Provide UT Tyler Police with the Fire and Life Safety Evaluation Checklist to be used by Fire Guards.
4. Provide copies of drawings that note the location of evacuation routes, pull stations, fire extinguishers, annunciator panel, and other important fire and life safety features or devices.

• UT Tyler Police 

• Initiate the Fire Guard Service within four hours after a fire protection system is inoperable, and continue fire watch activities until the facility is locked-down and/or the system is reactivated.

1. Provide a sufficient number of guards to accomplish the needed services during planned events.
2. Station Fire Guards on each level of the facility, including, but not limited to backstage and other high-risk areas.  Guards should make rounds at intervals determined for the particular situation by the Chief of Police or Fire Guard Supervisor
3. Establish a Communication Center to monitor and receive all radio communications.
4. Establish and maintain two-way radio communications with all Fire Guards and the Communication Center.
5. Maintain records of all communications during the implementation of the Fire Guard Service.
6. Conduct a fire and life safety evaluation of the facility prior to each event and/or before a Fire Guard begins duty to:
   • become familiar with the location of pull stations, exits and fire extinguishers;
   • note areas that could potentially become traffic flow problems during an evacuation; and
   • inspect for potentially hazardous conditions, such as improperly stored flammables or blocked emergency exits.

 

• Fire Guards:

1. Prevent the entry of unauthorized persons who might set a fire or do damage to the facility.
2. Control the activities of people authorized to be on the property, but who may not be aware of the procedures established for the prevention of fire.
3. Control pedestrian and vehicular traffic during exit drills, and evacuate the property or parts of it during emergencies.
4. Control vehicular traffic to facilitate access to the building by the Tyler Fire Department in case of a fire or other emergency.
5. Ensure that all aisles, doorways and stairways are kept clear of obstructions. 

Coordination During Emergencies

In the event of a fire, the Fire Guard Supervisor will investigate and, if necessary:

1. Activate the pull station alarm system,
2. Contact the Communication Center via two-way radio and request assistance from the Tyler Fire Department, EMS, etc.
3. Ask the Communication Center to activate the Crisis Management Plan for fire.
4. Order the general evacuation of the building.
5. The dispatcher will immediately contact the Fire Guard by radio and instruct him/her to meet the fire department on arrival and direct them to the fire.
6. The dispatcher will also notify the Power Plant operator on duty by radio. The Power Plant operator will manually shut-off the natural gas supply to the building and ensure the air handlers are automatically shut down, if necessary.

Prohibitions

No smoking, or hot work (cutting, grinding or welding) will be permitted in any campus facility while the fire protection system is inoperable.