Explore by Career/Protective Service
Fire Inspectors and Investigators
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.
- Median pay
- $78,060
- per year
- 10-year outlook
- +3.8%
- Stable
- Typical entry
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Key skills
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Social Perceptiveness
- Monitoring
- Persuasion
What they do
- 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.
- Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
- Inspect buildings to locate hazardous conditions and fire code violations, such as accumulations of combustible material, electrical wiring problems, and inadequate or non-functional fire exits.
- Examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood, and accelerant residue for use in determining the cause of a fire.
- Instruct children about the dangers of fire.
- Conduct fire code compliance follow-ups to ensure that corrective actions have been taken in cases where violations were found.
Majors that lead here
No mapped majors yet.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections) and O*NET, used under CC BY 4.0.