Fire Inspectors and Investigators
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security · Emergency and Fire Management Services
Pay and outlook shown for
New workers start near $61,140; experienced workers reach $85,180. About 50 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
Job outlook
Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.
- Employment change
- +5.3%
- Openings a year
- 6
- Employed in 2024
- 57
Typical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award · Experience: 5 years or more · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Alamo Colleges programs that lead here
2 programs, with the college that teaches each.
Skills this career uses
The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Writing3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Monitoring3.4
- Service Orientation3.4
What the work is
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.
- 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.
Education people in this job have
Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.
- High school or less29%
- Certificate27%
- Some college26%
- Associate degree13%
- Bachelor's degree2%
- Master's degree2%
Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.
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