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Date: 08/05/2025

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.

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  • Work Activities
  • Skills
  • WorkKeys®
  • Abilities
  • Knowledge
  • Career Video
  • Pay
  • Ohio Employment Trends
  • Typical Education
  • Personality
  • Tools
  • Technology
  • Tags
  • Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management.
  • Conduct internal investigation to determine negligence and violation of laws and regulations by fire department employees.
  • Attend training classes to maintain current knowledge of fire prevention, safety, and firefighting procedures.
  • Review blueprints and plans for new or remodeled buildings to ensure the structures meet fire safety codes.
  • Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
  • Identify corrective actions necessary to bring properties into compliance with applicable fire codes, laws, regulations, and standards, and explain these measures to property owners or their representatives.
  • Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
  • Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
  • Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
  • Dust evidence or portions of fire scenes for latent fingerprints.
  • Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
  • Teach fire investigation techniques to other firefighter personnel.
  • Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
  • Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management.
  • Write detailed reports of fire inspections performed, fire code violations observed, and corrective recommendations offered.
  • Instruct children about the dangers of fire.
  • Coordinate efforts with other organizations, such as law enforcement agencies.
  • Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
  • Teach fire investigation techniques to other firefighter personnel.
  • Identify corrective actions necessary to bring properties into compliance with applicable fire codes, laws, regulations, and standards, and explain these measures to property owners or their representatives.
  • Develop or review fire exit plans.
  • 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.
  • Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony.
  • Conduct fire code compliance follow-ups to ensure that corrective actions have been taken in cases where violations were found.
  • Conduct fire exit drills to monitor and evaluate evacuation procedures.
  • Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
  • Teach public education programs on fire safety and prevention.
  • Inspect properties that store, handle, and use hazardous materials to ensure compliance with laws, codes, and regulations, and issue hazardous materials permits to facilities found in compliance.
  • Test sites and materials to establish facts, such as burn patterns and flash points of materials, using test equipment.
  • 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.
  • Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
  • Arrange for the replacement of defective fire fighting equipment and for repair of fire alarm and sprinkler systems, making minor repairs such as servicing fire extinguishers when feasible.
  • Issue permits for public assemblies.
  • Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
  • Inspect properties that store, handle, and use hazardous materials to ensure compliance with laws, codes, and regulations, and issue hazardous materials permits to facilities found in compliance.
  • Recommend changes to fire prevention, inspection, and fire code endorsement procedures.
  • Inspect and test fire protection or fire detection systems to verify that such systems are installed in accordance with appropriate laws, codes, ordinances, regulations, and standards.

Work Activities

Work Activities

  • Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management.
  • Conduct internal investigation to determine negligence and violation of laws and regulations by fire department employees.
  • Attend training classes to maintain current knowledge of fire prevention, safety, and firefighting procedures.
  • Review blueprints and plans for new or remodeled buildings to ensure the structures meet fire safety codes.
  • Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
  • Identify corrective actions necessary to bring properties into compliance with applicable fire codes, laws, regulations, and standards, and explain these measures to property owners or their representatives.
  • Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
  • Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
  • Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
  • Dust evidence or portions of fire scenes for latent fingerprints.
  • Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
  • Teach fire investigation techniques to other firefighter personnel.
  • Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
  • Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management.
  • Write detailed reports of fire inspections performed, fire code violations observed, and corrective recommendations offered.
  • Instruct children about the dangers of fire.
  • Coordinate efforts with other organizations, such as law enforcement agencies.
  • Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
  • Teach fire investigation techniques to other firefighter personnel.
  • Identify corrective actions necessary to bring properties into compliance with applicable fire codes, laws, regulations, and standards, and explain these measures to property owners or their representatives.
  • Develop or review fire exit plans.
  • 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.
  • Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony.
  • Conduct fire code compliance follow-ups to ensure that corrective actions have been taken in cases where violations were found.
  • Conduct fire exit drills to monitor and evaluate evacuation procedures.
  • Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
  • Teach public education programs on fire safety and prevention.
  • Inspect properties that store, handle, and use hazardous materials to ensure compliance with laws, codes, and regulations, and issue hazardous materials permits to facilities found in compliance.
  • Test sites and materials to establish facts, such as burn patterns and flash points of materials, using test equipment.
  • 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.
  • Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
  • Arrange for the replacement of defective fire fighting equipment and for repair of fire alarm and sprinkler systems, making minor repairs such as servicing fire extinguishers when feasible.
  • Issue permits for public assemblies.
  • Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
  • Inspect properties that store, handle, and use hazardous materials to ensure compliance with laws, codes, and regulations, and issue hazardous materials permits to facilities found in compliance.
  • Recommend changes to fire prevention, inspection, and fire code endorsement procedures.
  • Inspect and test fire protection or fire detection systems to verify that such systems are installed in accordance with appropriate laws, codes, ordinances, regulations, and standards.

Skills

  • Mathematics

    Using math to solve problems.

  • Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

  • Repairing

    Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

  • Negotiation

    Bringing people together to solve differences.

  • Equipment Maintenance

    Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

  • Time Management

    Managing your time and the time of other people.

  • Complex Problem Solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • Social Perceptiveness

    Understanding people's reactions.

  • Critical Thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • Equipment Selection

    Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

  • Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • Operations Monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

  • Quality Control Analysis

    Testing how well a product or service works.

  • Active Listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • Management of Personnel Resources

    Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

  • Systems Evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • Management of Material Resources

    Managing equipment and materials.

  • Learning Strategies

    Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

  • Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • Technology Design

    Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

  • Systems Analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

  • Operation and Control

    Using equipment or systems.

  • Management of Financial Resources

    Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

  • Judgment and Decision Making

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

  • Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • Installation

    Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

  • Programming

    Writing computer programs.

  • Service Orientation

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • Science

    Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

  • Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

  • Coordination

    Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

  • Reading Comprehension

    Reading work-related information.

  • Active Learning

    Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

  • Troubleshooting

    Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

  • Operations Analysis

    Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

WorkKeys®

Applied Math
4
Workplace Documents
5
Graphic Literacy
4

Abilities

  • Control Precision

    Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • Reaction Time

    Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

  • Number Facility

    Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

  • Perceptual Speed

    Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • Problem Sensitivity

    Noticing when problems happen.

  • Glare Sensitivity

    Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

  • Speed of Closure

    Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

  • Dynamic Flexibility

    Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • Category Flexibility

    Grouping things in different ways.

  • Speed of Limb Movement

    Quickly moving your arms and legs.

  • Static Strength

    Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

  • Wrist-Finger Speed

    Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

  • Deductive Reasoning

    Using rules to solve problems.

  • Time Sharing

    Doing two or more things at the same time.

  • Stamina

    Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

  • Sound Localization

    Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

  • Night Vision

    Seeing at night or under low light.

  • Mathematical Reasoning

    Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

  • Manual Dexterity

    Holding or moving items with your hands.

  • Dynamic Strength

    Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • Auditory Attention

    Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

  • Finger Dexterity

    Putting together small parts with your fingers.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness

    Keeping your arm or hand steady.

  • Written Comprehension

    Reading and understanding what is written.

  • Gross Body Coordination

    Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

  • Extent Flexibility

    Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • Far Vision

    Seeing details that are far away.

  • Depth Perception

    Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

  • Written Expression

    Communicating by writing.

  • Visualization

    Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • Near Vision

    Seeing details up close.

  • Memorization

    Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

  • Explosive Strength

    Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

  • Originality

    Creating new and original ideas.

  • Oral Comprehension

    Listening and understanding what people say.

  • Hearing Sensitivity

    Telling the difference between sounds.

  • Rate Control

    Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • Speech Clarity

    Speaking clearly.

  • Flexibility of Closure

    Seeing hidden patterns.

  • Multilimb Coordination

    Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • Response Orientation

    Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

  • Inductive Reasoning

    Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

  • Visual Color Discrimination

    Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

  • Oral Expression

    Communicating by speaking.

  • Information Ordering

    Ordering or arranging things.

  • Fluency of Ideas

    Coming up with lots of ideas.

  • Speech Recognition

    Recognizing spoken words.

  • Peripheral Vision

    Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

  • Selective Attention

    Paying attention to something without being distracted.

  • Gross Body Equilibrium

    Keeping your balance or staying upright.

  • Trunk Strength

    Using your lower back and stomach.

  • Spatial Orientation

    Knowing where things are around you.

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service

    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

  • Sales and Marketing

    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • Food Production

    Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

  • Fine Arts

    Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

  • Sociology and Anthropology

    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

  • Mechanical

    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • Education and Training

    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • Production and Processing

    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

  • Mathematics

    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

  • Psychology

    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

  • History and Archeology

    Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

  • Foreign Language

    Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

  • Administrative

    Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

  • Design

    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • Administration and Management

    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

  • English Language

    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • Engineering and Technology

    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

  • Building and Construction

    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

  • Telecommunications

    Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • Law and Government

    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

  • Public Safety and Security

    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

  • Transportation

    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

  • Chemistry

    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

  • Biology

    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

  • Physics

    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

  • Medicine and Dentistry

    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

  • Geography

    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

  • Therapy and Counseling

    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

  • Computers and Electronics

    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • Economics and Accounting

    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

  • Communications and Media

    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

  • Philosophy and Theology

    Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

  • Personnel and Human Resources

    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Career Video

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Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

Pay

  • Typical Salary
  • $132,550
    $64,790
    $41,800
    Ohio
    US
    $149,870
    $78,060
    $47,580
  • Typical Hourly Wage
  • $64
    $31
    $20
    Ohio
    US
    $72
    $38
    $23

Ohio Employment Trends

  • Currently Employed 480
  • Yearly Projected Openings 40

Typical Education

Personality

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Initiative
  • Concern for Others

Tools

  • Acoustic ear muffs or defenders
  • Adjustable wrenches
  • Air velocity and temperature monitors
  • Anemometers
  • Automobiles or cars
  • Ball peen hammer
  • Barometers
  • Battery testers
  • Bolt cutters
  • Box end wrenches
  • Bullet proof vests
  • Camera flashes or lighting
  • Camera lens
  • Camera tripods
  • Circuit tester
  • Claw hammer
  • Cold chisels
  • Digital camcorders or video cameras
  • Digital cameras
  • Digital voice recorders
  • Direction finding compasses
  • Dosing droppers
  • Electrical frequency meters
  • Emergency light unit
  • End cut pliers
  • Fingerprint equipment
  • Fire alarm systems
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Fire hoses or nozzles
  • Fire suppression hand tools
  • Fire suppression system
  • Flashlight
  • Flood light
  • Flowmeters
  • Forestry saws
  • Fuse pullers
  • GFI circuit testers
  • Gas chromatographs
  • Gas detectors
  • Gas generators
  • Hacksaw
  • Handcuffs
  • Handguns
  • Handheld thermometer
  • Hatchets
  • Hoes
  • Hydrocarbons analyzers or detectors
  • Laboratory forceps
  • Ladders
  • Laser fax machine
  • Levels
  • Linemans pliers
  • Locking pliers
  • Lux or light meter
  • Magnetic tools
  • Magnifying glass
  • Masks or accessories
  • Measuring wheels for distance
  • Mobile medical services first aid kits
  • Mobile phones
  • Multimeters
  • Notebook computers
  • Pad or keyhole saw
  • Personal computers
  • Pipe or tube cutter
  • Pipe wrenches
  • Plumb bobs
  • Pocket calculator
  • Pocket knives
  • Power drills
  • Protective coats
  • Protective hood
  • Protective pants
  • Pry bars
  • Psychrometers
  • Putty knives
  • Rakes
  • Rangefinders
  • Razor knives
  • Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories
  • Respirators
  • Rulers
  • Safety glasses
  • Safety helmets
  • Screwdrivers
  • Shears
  • Shovels
  • Single gas monitors
  • Sledge hammer
  • Slip or groove joint pliers
  • Smoke detectors
  • Sound measuring apparatus or decibel meter
  • Specialty wrenches
  • Spectrophotometers
  • Still cameras
  • Sump pumps
  • Tablet computers
  • Tape measures
  • Tinners snips
  • Trowels
  • Tweezers
  • Two way radios
  • Ultraviolet UV lamps
  • Utility knives
  • Voltage or current meters
  • Water storage tanks
  • Wire cutters
  • Wire gauge
  • Wire-stripping pliers
  • Wood chisels
  • X ray radiography examination equipment

Technology

  • Analytical or scientific software
  • Data base user interface and query software
  • Electronic mail software
  • Human resources software
  • Internet browser software
  • Office suite software
  • Presentation software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software

Tags

  • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.
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