What Does it Mean to Be in the Fire Sciences?
When most people think about fire and life safety, they think about the extremes: house fires, alarms blaring, lights and sirens, and firefighters. What people tend not to think about is what comes before we get to that point–and the lives of the people who keep us from getting there. Fire and life safety inspectors work proactively to prevent fires through testing and maintaining fire safety systems.
Fire and Life Safety Inspectors are the folks who inspect buildings day-to-day using state-of-the-art software like Inspect Point. They make sure businesses, schools, and other buildings meet the function and codes of fire and life safety.
But what exactly does it mean to be a fire and life safety inspector? How do they inspect? How much money do they make? For all those considering a career in the fire and life safety world, and for the rest of us who are just plain curious, let’s take a look at the life of a fire and life safety inspector.
What is a Fire Inspection?
Differences in Fire Codes
The exact processes that occur during a fire inspection differ from region to region and state to state. Because different areas have different fire codes and regulations regarding what fire systems in commercial buildings need, inspectors have to meet the specific requirements of their authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
In the most basic sense, a fire inspector conducts an inspection based on the existing fire codes for their region. They test fire and life safety equipment to make sure people in the building will have the proper systems in place in case of an emergency. Codes also require buildings to have safe emergency exits, emergency evacuation plans, and more.
How We Decide on Fire Codes
While fire and life safety codes differ, their purpose is to inform building owners what requirements need to be met. They inform the type of equipment a building needs, like fire alarms and fire sprinklers, how often that equipment needs to be inspected, and how different systems should be maintained.
Fire codes are decided upon by a consensus of different organizations like the National Fire Protection Agency. The NFPA 101 is one of the most widely used guidelines for fire safety. According to the NFPA website, the NFPA 101 is “the only document that covers life safety in both new and existing structures.”
What is it Like to be a Fire Inspector?
Following Codes and Standards
According to recruiter.com, a fire inspector will “work in tandem with local and state safety regulations to make sure that safety codes and equipment are followed and functional.”
Fire inspectors examine fire and life safety systems to ensure occupants in any given commercial building will be safe in case of an emergency. They confirm equipment sprinklers, alarms, and extinguishers are working and properly maintained. Additionally, they will check for obstructions or obstacles in a building that would make it difficult for equipment or emergency responders to react as intended.
Inspections are recorded with detailed reports and are then given to the building operators. Inspectors also help create an exit or emergency plan for a building and its occupants. Take a look at this YouTube video of some of the daily happenings for a fire inspector.
What Does an Inspector Do Day-to-Day?
A lot goes into being a fire and life safety inspector. Fire inspectors work 40 hour weeks like much of the American workforce. Just over 50% of inspectors surveyed by owlguru.com reported working in an office environment every day. Survey results also revealed that almost 90% of inspectors have daily interactions with customers; more than 50% report working outside every day. Importantly, 70% of inspectors are satisfied with their job and 72% find their job to be helpful and meaningful.
As we’ve already discussed, one of the main responsibilities for inspectors is the actual inspection. But that’s not all they do. In addition to identifying problems–or “deficiencies”–they also develop plans for corrective action and follow up with reports on their findings and ideas.
Properties or buildings where hazardous materials and waste are stored can make it into an inspector’s work rotation. Fire and life safety inspectors will make sure these dangerous materials are stored according to the local safety code and issue permits for the property to store materials as long as they are in compliance.
Education can also be a part of an inspector’s responsibilities. Inspectors might act as a sort of spokesperson for the fire and life safety world, educating building owners, architects, and the general public on key issues pertaining to fire safety.
But How Does it Pay?
A fire inspector generally makes somewhere between $50,000 and $70,000 annually. This number can vary based on experience, tenure, and location. For example, California has the highest average compensation for fire and life safety inspectors at more than $80,000 per year.
Becoming a fire inspector requires an associate’s degree in fire sciences or applicable vocational training. This education isn’t easy, but it is essential for such a highly skilled and qualified position. After all, the work of a fire and life safety inspector is truly life and death.
Is this the Job for Me?
Making the Job Easier, Not Obsolete
Inspect Point makes the life of a fire inspector significantly easier. Some people may think inspectors are slowly becoming obsolete, but that sentiment could not be further from the truth. Innovations and new technology like Inspect Point streamlines day-to-day operations for an inspector. Inspect Point’s platform clearly and easily lays out information and inspection points for technicians. But the job will always require problem-solving skills that a computer can’t handle.
Inspect Point aims to make your life as an inspector easier–in fact, we designed it specifically for that purpose and for the fire protection industry.
The Personality of a Fire Inspector
Fire inspectors need to have a love of structure, guidelines, and regulations. They also need to be creative problem-solvers. A fire inspector makes sure that a functional building meets every safety requirement. If a building does catch fire, an inspector may also need to be able to sift through the charred clues to discover what happened.
Not a Job for Everyone
There is no job in the emergency services that are well-suited to every person. Firefighters, EMT’s, and fire inspectors all have difficult jobs that require very specific and sometimes difficult training. It can be a job that comes with a lot of stress. Inspect Point seeks to alleviate some of the unnecessary stress with a clarified workflow that eliminates tedious, manual data input. A fire inspector’s life can be difficult, but accurate communication shouldn’t add to their stress.
