Tenant Fire Wardens: The Hidden Leaders Keeping Your Commercial High-Rise Safe

This past week in Mississauga, Ontario, dozens of volunteer fire wardens from multiple tenants put their training to the test during a full-scale evacuation exercise across two high-rise office towers. Their leadership in preparedness, accountability systems, and seamless communication ensured the safe and efficient movement of every building occupant. In that moment, it became crystal clear: when lives are at stake, compliance alone isn’t enough—active preparedness is essential.

Why Building Management Should Celebrate and Empower Tenant Wardens

In many commercial or mixed-use towers, property managers may view fire safety primarily - as their domain. But the reality under the Ontario Fire Code (Division B, Section 2.8 – Emergency Planning) is that responsibility must be shared:

• The Fire Safety Plan must be implemented, maintained, and understood by all those with roles and responsibilities, and this includes tenants and employers operating in the building.

• Supervisory staff—including tenant representatives delegated as “fire wardens” —must be instructed in the fire emergency procedures - before being entrusted with those responsibilities. This training, must be provided by the building Owner, for all “Supervisory” staff identified within the approved Fire Safety Plan.

• Training, Fire drills, documentation, and evaluations are required components of an Ontario Fire Code compliant, robust, high-rise safety program.

From an NFPA perspective, principles of incident command, hazard recognition, and evacuation leadership should inform training design. NFPA training emphasizes practical, role-based drills and scenario work to build confidence under stress.

By engaging tenants and employer fire wardens through recognized training, building management fosters a shared culture of safety—and ensures that, in an emergency, every “zone of control” acts confidently.

The Role of Tenant/Employer Fire Wardens in a Real Emergency

Trained and practiced Fire wardens assigned within leased spaces bring crucial advantages:

• Immediate local awareness: They know their tenant zone’s layout, occupants, hazards, emergency exits, and unique challenges.

• First-line leadership: In an evacuation, they guide occupants, manage egress flow, and coordinate with those requiring asistance.

• Accountability and feedback: During drills and real events, they can report anomalies (exit blockages, noncompliant storage, systems / speaker issues, occupant behaviour) for corrective action.

• Liaison and communication: They bridge tenant-floor operations with property management during emergencies.

At National Life Safety Group (NLSG), our mission is to turn code obligations into trusted, real-world action. Our accredited fire warden training and Evacuation Exercise Management programs:

• Aligns with Ontario Fire Code mandates and NFPA best practices

• Accredited by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) Canada Branch, and endorsed by the CRMAO.

• Is delivered by expert fire & life safety educators (recognized by NFPA)

• Uses scenario-based drills, realistic role play, and adult learning principles

• Detailed, documented reports that meet and exceed the Code requirements, and provide downstream edcuational value to all in the building.

• Certifies participants to lead confidently, communicate crisply, and enforce accountability

For property managers and building Owners, investing in this training sends a clear message: safety is shared, not siloed. It shows tenants you trust them—and with proper training, they become an extension of your safety network.

Why This Matters: Beyond Compliance

That powerful image of two fire wardens cellebrating their preparedness efforts after the Mississauga drill is more than a photo—it’s proof that preparedness and practice makes us all confident. For building management, partnering with tenants via accredited training is:

• A means to strengthen trust and communication

• A way to reduce liability and enhance legal compliance

• A path to true resilience, not just theoretical readiness

So ask today:

• Are your tenant zones integrated into your Fire Safety Plan?

• Are your tenant fire wardens trained, certified, and exercised?

• Do your drills reveal gaps before a real fire does?

For more information on the training or physical exercise / Drill programs, reach out and connect with us; www.nationallifesafetygroup.ca