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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.

What you’d 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.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Social Perceptiveness

How to get there

Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

Also called

  • Arson Investigator
  • Fire Inspector
  • Fire Investigator
  • Fire Prevention Inspector
  • Fire Code Inspector
  • Fire Official

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