Employers
Approximately 17,300 fire inspectors and investigators are employed in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. About 76 percent of fire inspectors and investigators work for local government agencies (excluding education and hospitals). Forty-six percent of forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists worked for state agencies, while 44 percent were employed by local agencies. Some inspectors work at insurance companies and at other private sector employers.
Starting Out
Those just starting out in this field may need to gain experience as a professional firefighter before moving into the position of fire inspector. Job requirements vary by department. To become a firefighter, you must pass the local civil service exam, meet physical training requirements, and complete training at the department’s training center or academy. Those who have earned degrees, for example, in fire protection engineering, may find information on job openings through their schools’ career services centers. Jobs can also be found through organizations, such as the National Fire Protection Association.
- Airport Security Personnel
- Armored Truck Drivers
- Bail Bondsmen
- Bodyguards
- Border Patrol Agents
- Bounty Hunters
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Construction Inspectors
- Corrections Officers
- Crime Analysts
- Cryptographic Technicians
- Customs Officials
- Cybersecurity Architects
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Detectives
- Directors of Security
- Emergency Management Directors
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Emergency Services Dispatchers
- FBI Agents
- Fire Investigators
- Fire Protection Engineers
- Fire Safety Directors
- Fire Safety Technicians
- Firefighters
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Forensic Experts
- Forest Fire Prevention Specialists
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Genetic Genealogists
- Intelligence Officers
- Internet Security Specialists
- Locksmiths
- Loss Prevention Managers
- Park Rangers
- Parole Officers
- Personal Privacy Advisors
- Police Officers
- Polygraph Examiners
- Private Investigators
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Security Consultants
- Security Guards
- Security Systems Installers and Workers
- Wildland Firefighters