Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
Under the title Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers, workers research causes of fires, determine fire protection methods, and design or recommend materials or equipment such as structural components or fire-detection equipment to assist organizations in safeguarding life and property against fire, explosion, and related hazards. O*NET rates it as considerable preparation, which usually means a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. It leans on critical thinking, speaking, and reading comprehension. One core duty is to advise architects, builders, and other construction personnel on fire prevention equipment and techniques and on fire code and standard interpretation and compliance. On the six-type interest model it reads RIC, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by research, analysis and working through hard problems. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.
What they do
Research causes of fires, determine fire protection methods, and design or recommend materials or equipment such as structural components or fire-detection equipment to assist organizations in safeguarding life and property against fire, explosion, and related hazards.
Main tasks
- Advise architects, builders, and other construction personnel on fire prevention equipment and techniques and on fire code and standard interpretation and compliance.
- Design fire detection equipment, alarm systems, and fire extinguishing devices and systems.
- Inspect buildings or building designs to determine fire protection system requirements and potential problems in areas such as water supplies, exit locations, and construction materials.
- Review building plans to verify compliance with fire code.
- Prepare and write reports detailing specific fire prevention and protection issues, such as work performed, revised codes or standards, and proposed review schedules.
- Consult with authorities to discuss safety regulations and to recommend changes as necessary.
Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on critical thinking and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.5 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Consulting Engineer
- Engineer
- Fire Protection Consultant
- Fire Protection Engineer (FPE)
- Forensic Fire Protection Engineer
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.