What To Look For In Your Waking Watch Provider

Deciding on a provider for your Waking Watch is an essential part of establishing a safe and effective transition to an automated fire alarm system. While only a temporary measure, it’s vital you choose a Waking Watch supplier who understands their role, has a proven track record in delivering those responsibilities, and can help you move to that more autonomous solution.

The Importance Of Experience In Choosing Your Provider

Experience is arguably the biggest factor to consider when you’re deciding who should deliver your Waking Watch services. This proves the company understands the changing legislation and shows they have the competency to deliver a complex package

A Waking Watch requires a much more proactive approach than a static solution, and that’s something that many providers will struggle to deliver. One of the most important aspects of any Waking Watch is that patrols need to be completed on a consistent, rotating basis – arguably one of the most stringent requirements of any fire safety services package.

You should prioritise a provider whose experience is substantial enough in those large-scale, ultra-responsive services. This could be in the form of past work on Waking Watch projects, mobile security deployments, or other large-scale contracts that require trained, vetted professionals on a 24/7 basis.

Experience also lends itself to an understanding of the modern fire safety landscape. As we’ve seen with the rolling waves of Waking Watch funding issued through schemes like the Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF), choosing a provider who’s experienced means that they’re likely to have a better understanding of how you’re financing the service you’re looking for.

Here’s an example of how experience might look in practice, with an urgent, central London deployment we completed for the Berwick Court development. That project saw us deploy multiple trained officers for a luxury block of apartments on the banks of the Thames.

Why A Knowledge Of The SEG Is Essential For Your Provider

A thorough understanding of the 4th edition of the Simultaneous Evacuation Guidance (SEG) – the National Fire Chiefs’ Council’s definitive documentation on how to protect people in the event of a fire through a well-planned, organised and smooth evacuation – is essential.

The guidelines from the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC), while they stress the importance of having a Waking Watch as a “stopgap” solution and not as a long-term remedy to fire safety issues, call for a bespoke approach to delivering essential Waking Watch services. That’s perhaps the most important takeaway – you can’t apply the same formula to every property that needs a Waking Watch.

It’s a sentiment echoed by the Chair of the NFCC, Gavin Tomlinson, who called for an end to “risk-averse, one-size-fits-all” Waking Watch packages, which ultimately do more harm than good by trying to apply rigid rules to unique properties and circumstances. That’s where a provider with experience shines through and can help maintain compliance with those rules.

For instance, if you’ve got residents with specific evacuation needs (usually referred to as a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan, or PEEP), you’ll need a Waking Watch provider who’s able to take that in stride. Similarly, if you’ve got multiple, complex floors or interconnected corridors, a purpose-built solution is essential in ensuring your people stay safe.

An experienced provider will understand the key role specifications in the NFCC’s SEG, and specifically the Training Requirements in Section 11 and Appendices B and C, and how they link together to create a package that complies with all relevant documentation.

Why Effective Training Matters In Finding The Right Waking Watch Provider

It’s important to note that there are no formal requirements for specific training to be part of a Waking Watch service. However, while the NFCC’s guidelines do state that volunteers or residents of the property can conduct a Waking Watch service, it’s strongly advised that you invest in a solution that provides licensed, trained staff. 

This reduces pressure on residents and means the team available are trained to handle the challenges a Waking Watch brings.

Many professional providers will opt to utilise professionals who are licensed by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). While this is designed to prepare officers for the challenges of a frontline security role, there is a range of skills that translate directly into a Waking Watch scenario, including:

• Crisis and risk management strategies
• Leadership and guidance
• Vigilance and consistent monitoring
• Mobile patrolling services and the ability to create intelligent patrol routes
• People skills and coordination
• In-built escalation through a 24-hour National Operations Centre (NOC)
• Communication strategies

One stipulation of the NFCC’s guidance is that “persons forming the waking watch should be fit and active enough to be able to carry out patrolling duties for the duration of their shift”. Opting for a provider who delivers SIA-licensed operatives means you don’t have to worry about that level of fitness, as they’ll have already proved that as part of the initial training they receive.

Consider How Staff Have Been Vetted & Screened

Although a Waking Watch service is designed to work around your residents and their daily routines, it’s essential that you also look at the vetting and screening that any provider has in place for their Waking Watch officers. This gives you both an indication of the commitment your chosen supplier has to resident safety and a further reassurance of their experience in the industry.

For the majority of premises, a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will suffice. This confirmsthat they’ve got the relevant documentation to work legally in the UK, as well as a clean criminal history. For premises that cater to vulnerable people (like a multi-storey hospital or care home), an Enhanced DBS check might need to take place.

These screening and vetting checks are also a primary reason behind the recommendation to partner with a trusted Waking Watch provider. Alongside those additional training aspects we’ve already discussed, they’ll provide officers who’ve been DBS-checked before conducting any duties.

As an additional measure, they’ll also have passed vetting under BS7858, the overarching standard that governs security officer vetting. The standard, as defined by the National Screening Agency (ProFM Group’s partner for all of our frontline professionals), offers “comprehensive background checks” and allows people to make “informed, risk-based decisions”.

Check Their Plans For Immediate Mobilisation

The nature of a Waking Watch means that an urgent mobilisation is necessary. That’s non-negotiable – lives and livelihoods are at risk the longer you leave it, and a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall (FRAEW) is perhaps one of the most significant recommendations you’ll receive as a property owner or operator.

When you’re choosing your Waking Watch provider, you should check that they’re able to mobilise rapidly and with the professionalism and precision that the NFCC stipulate as part of the SEG guidelines. It’s essential for compliance and integral to moving forward with the remedial works your property needs.”

A rapid deployment of officers is also an essential part of responding to your FRAEW’s requirements. While every assessment is unique, what they do share is the pressing need to have measures in place for fire safety and for the simultaneous evacuation of all residents.

An immediate mobilisation gives you the time to consider your next steps and enact the recommendations outlined by your FRAEW or Fire Risk Assessment (FRA). It also means residents are protected by a system that’s available around the clock.

Look At How They Can Support After The Waking Watch

Of course, while your Waking Watch provider will be there to deliver the interim service, it’s also important to look to the future. All fire safety authorities – whether that’s the FSE, NFCC, HSE, or wider fire services – recommend that a Waking Watch only be used as an interim solution and for a maximum of 6 months (or up to 12 in extreme scenarios).

The temporary nature of the service also means that you need a provider who’s able to assist with the future of your fire safety measures. While that may not be the provider themselves (ProFM Group, for instance, can deliver an expert Waking Watch package, but don’t offer fire alarm systems), they should always be able to signpost the next steps according to your FRAEW.

That might be in the form of recommending a local supplier to deliver your fire alarm installation, signposting the options available for Waking Watch funding, or simply acting as a knowledgeable point of contact going forward.

A Proven Waking Watch Solution From ProFM Group

With ProFM Group, we’re able to act as that end-to-end solution. From the moment you receive the recommendations from your FRAEW, to delivering that immediately-available package that we’ve already delivered for projects nationwide, ProFM handle every aspect of that Waking Watch service with proven professionalism and an approach driven by the latest legislation.

Our Waking Watch personnel are all licensed by the SIA (and therefore screened in line with BS7858), and have passed a strict DBS check before setting foot in your building. We achieve that through a roster of security professionals who are based across the country and on hand for immediate, round-the-clock deployment.

From there, we’ll design a patrol system so  every resident feels protected, every property is monitored consistently, and every evacuation route is considered so there is  a smooth, safe and well-coordinated exit in the event of a fire.

We’re there until your Waking Watch ends and can support any crucial next steps with a range of well-connected partners. It’s a service we deliver with the same rigour on every deployment, because we understand what’s at stake.

Got your FRAEW results and not sure how to decide on the right Waking Watch provider? Get in touch with our in-house experts today on 0808 169 8140 to discuss your circumstances in detail.