Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Overview

Fire Inspectors and Investigators has a national median salary of $75,920 per year, with +4.2% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a postsecondary certificate as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions.

Work Values

• Achievement
• Independence
• Support

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
• Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
• Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
• Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
• Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.

Work Activities

• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Detailed Work Activities

• Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a postsecondary certificate as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a postsecondary certificate.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

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