Key points:
- When to begin fire watch in mixed-use buildings.
- Patrol frequencies in mixed-use buildings.
- Where to patrol and login mixed-use buildings.
Hundreds of office-to-apartments and retail-to-residential conversions are underway in the Denver Metro Area. This is due to the combination of hybrid workforces and an increase in online shopping. Builders must upgrade the fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems to transition to mixed-use occupancy. Once a change of use is approved, property managers and building owners must update their emergency response plans to meet the minimum requirements for mixed-use building fire watch.
Denver released a new set of Fire Codes on December 31, 2025. These codes include considerations and protocols that address the rise in multi-use occupancy. Generally speaking, buildings must meet the minimum requirements for the most restrictive occupancy type. Residential occupancy fire safety protocols vary greatly, so building owners and property managers must be prepared for their new compliance obligations.
General Patrol Frequency (non-hot work)
Patrol protocols and frequency vary depending on building-specific and incident-specific factors. The minimum guidelines are below.
- Residential (R-2): Hotels and buildings with even 1 apartment or sleeping quarter must patrol every 15 minutes.
- Assembly (A): Restaurants, bars, theaters, churches, and other buildings with an occupancy of 50+ must patrol every 15 minutes.
- Commercial (B and M): Offices, small markets and retailers, and assembly areas with fewer than 50 people must be patrolled every 30 minutes when occupied, 30 to 60 minutes when unoccupied.
Hot Work Patrol Frequency
Hot work includes high-heat and smoke, flame, spark, and slag-including work, including but not limited to welding, grinding, power-cutting, soldering, and induction brazing. During hot work, mixed-use building fire watch is aligned with commercial-zoned protocols.
- Before hot work begins, your fire watcher must review your fire prevention plan, assess the work site to identify incident-specific risks. They must also reposition fire extinguishers, reposition flammable materials, and place fire curtains and fire blankets.
- Once hot work begins, one person must continuously monitor the work site. At least 1 other person must complete 15-minute patrols. At minimum, you must patrol the entire floor, the floor above, the floor below, and areas where sparks and flames can travel, such as trash chutes.
- After hot work ends, patrols must continue for a minimum of 30 minutes to monitor for delayed ignition. Longer patrolling (60 minutes to 3 hours) is required for historic buildings and high-risk scenarios.
Read more:
- Office Conversion Fire Safety System Upgrades
- Server Room Fire Watch
- EV Charging Station Fire Watch Protocols in Denver
- Unique Considerations for High-Rise Fire Watch
- Pros and Cons of Dispatching Internal Fire Watch Personnel in Apartments
When to Begin Residential Patrols (non-hot work)
Below are your minimum compliance requirements for 2026, which may vary by fire risk factors. For example, buildings with commercial server rooms, EV charging stations, and commercial kitchens must begin fire watch immediately. Feel free to go above and beyond.
- You must immediately notify residents when fire safety systems are down.
- You must begin patrolling in residential buildings as soon as the water goes out for any reason.
- If you don’t have EV charging stations in your building, you can wait a maximum of 4 hours to begin patrols when the fire alarm or suppression system is down
- If the water, fire alarm, or suppression system is down for 10 hours, you must obtain a Firewatch Permit.
Where to Patrol in Mixed-Use Buildings
When the water is out, fire alarms are down, or fire sprinklers aren’t working, you must patrol the entire building, including typically unoccupied spaces.
- Basements
- Common areas
- Gym
- Laundry room
- Mechanical rooms
- Maintenance rooms
- Storage/supply rooms
- Parking garage
- Janitor closets
- Roof top
- Stairwells
- Trash chutes
Compliant Mixed-Use Building Fire Watch in Denver
Even if your mixed occupancy building is small and only has 1 residential property, you must comply with residential fire codes. Scout Security provides compliant mixed-use building fire watch in Denver and The Springs.
Add Scout Security to your emergency contact list or call 24/7 to book our trained and certified fire guards.
