cheap source for fire watch

What is "fire watch?"

A Google search states "The main job for fire watch personnel is to sound the alarm if there is an emergency so that firefighters can be brought in. They may attempt to control the fire but their primary role is not to fight the flames, but to simply alert professionals so that they can come in and take care of it. The average pay for a Fire Watcher is $73,291 a year and $35 an hour in the United States."

"High" is subjective, so I don't know what you're comparing to the quotes you've seen, and I agree supply and demand is likely driving this, considering what's going on in California and other parts of the West Coast. That said, are you REALLY quibbling over the cost???? What's your house worth to you?

If a city requires building to have smoke alarms/fire surpression systems and they don't - or what they have it not working or otherwise not up to code - they can require an onsite "fire watch" as a condition of the building keeping its occupancy certificate.

I once managed a condo that went through this. They were red tagged during an annual inspection because the sprinkler heads in their surpression system had been recalled. They had to have a fire watch until every single head was replaced.

Thanks, Barbara; our high rise has a requirement for unit remodels that if the ceiling sprinklers have to be disabled for certain work to be completed, the owner must hire someone to hang out the whole time it's turned off. We haven't needed it but would, as LetA suggests, just hire one of our security guys to do it.

But maybe TV is talking about outdoor large-area work. No idea as s/he won't tell us.

TV, is the HOA/COA insurer requiring this fire watch?

Here's a simple answer. Post an ad for the job and see what happens. You've been given the pay range for a fire watch.

What Augustine (and a lot of others) said.

If you think this is "low skilled labor", you and some of your neighbors COULD volunteer to take turns serving as fire watchers for free and that might fix your problem. Otherwise, I see no reason why you (assuming you're on the board) don't do what most people do when they're looking for any type of service. Look around for fire watcher services or whatever they're called out there, get some bids, ask some damned question about what the work entails, for how long, etc., do your due diligence in checking their reputation at the BBB or whomever, make your selection and get on with it.
As I said before - what's your house worth to you?

As long as the fire marshall has mandated this, it's not about getting the cheapest or most expensive, but getting someone who'll do the work at a competitive price (whatever that means to you). As you've likely seen, there's a demand for this type of work, so you either do it yourself or get out your checkbook.

You keep saying "seems high", but haven't come up with any real figures demonstrating this. Business also charge what the market will bear (free enterprise you know), so if you don't want to pay $80 an hour, don't. Of course, you'll still have to figure out how much you want to pay and if there's someone out there willing to pay it.....and if you can't find anyone, well, you're back to either opening your checkbook or stay up and do it yourself.

I agree that it does seem high, however if that what the market in your area can demand, then that is what you might have to pay.

Based on the FYI section below, perhaps you can contact temp agencies or security service that can do both until you no longer require the watch.

If you care to share, what is the reason the fire marshal requires a fire watch?

As an FYI, this is what I found on the internet from the king county fire protection district:

FOR A FIRE WATCH YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. An employee with just the responsibility of providing the Fire Watch, having no other such duties than those herein specified
2. Hire a guard through a company that is familiar with how to conduct a Fire Watch
3. Hire a Firefighter.

There may be situations that the Fire District will only approve hiring an OFF DUTY FIREFIGHTER due to expertise and quick access to Fire District via portable radio