The Need for Fire Safety Leaders
| 4 Min Read
More than 1,600 home fire fatalities were reported between January and October of 2023.1 The need for firefighters is expected to grow 4% by 2032, resulting in 12,000 new jobs.2
Though the overall number of fires is on the decline, careers in fire safety as an Engineer, Inspector, Director, or Investigator are on the rise. These careers continue to help limit the number of fatal and costly fires by improving prevention strategies and educating the public on fire safety. Find out how continuing your education with an online Fire and Emergency Services MPA Specialization from Anna Maria College can put you on the front lines of this rewarding career field. Whether it’s improving fire safety measures for organizations, educating the community, or even developing new strategies for fire prevention, you can show off your knowledge and leadership skills to potential employers with confidence.
With the help of Anna Maria College’s infographic, “The Need for Fire Safety Leaders”, you can learn about the different firefighting career paths, allowing you to enjoy rewarding opportunities while keeping the community safe!
The Need for Fire Safety Leaders Infographic
The need for Fire Safety Leaders
A career in fire safety is about the prevention of damage and loss caused by fires, for the safety of human life, property and artifacts windy.
What Careers are available in fire safety?
The prevention, control, and inspection of the behavior and nature of fire can take a safety career beyond the role of a firefighter. In fact, these careers are in demand and are to grow by 5% by 2032.3 Take a look at some rewarding jobs in fire safety and statistics on why they are needed.
Fire inspectors usually work for state or federal agencies, and conduct inspections on public and commercial buildings, checking to see if they are in compliance with fire safety codes and regulations. They make $24.27 per hour.4 The national estimates for nonresidential building fires and losses state that there were 116,500 fires, 115 deaths, and 1,025 injuries. This resulted in $3,697,200,000 in dollar loss.5
Fire safety directors create fire safety plans that include evacuation routes, fire notification processes, and training programs drills. The average hourly pay is around $24.45.6 These plans are vital. In 2021, the National Fire Protection Association reported 36,624,000 total fire department calls.7
Fire investigators study fire safety and are often employed as a fire or arson investigator, where they help determine the cause of a fire, how preventative plans have failed, and how to make improvements in the future. The average salary is $72,036.8 In 2021, structure fires resulted in $12.8 billion in direct property damage.9
Fire protection engineers design systems for controlling and preventing fires. They can help in the creation of sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, and building designs, and they often study fire behaviors and its impact. The average salary is $79,425.10 These engineers are vitally important. From 2012 to 2021, the 10-year trend in the fire death rate per million population increased 18%.11
These careers continue to help limit the number of costly fires by improving prevention strategies and educating the public on fire safety. How can you enjoy a rewarding career as a fire safety leader? Continue with your education with Ann Marie College online.
Infographic Sources
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/fire-inspectors-and-investigators.htm
- https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Inspector/Hourly_Rate
- https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/nonresidential-fires/
- https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Safety_Director/Hourly_Rate
- https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Inspector_%2F_Investigator/Salary
- https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/Emergency-Responders/Fire-department-calls
- https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Protection_Engineer/Salary
- https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/civilian-fatalities/incident/reportMap
- https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/deaths-injuries/
Sources
- “Home Fire Fatalities in the News.” U.S. Fire Administration. https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/civilian-fatalities/incident/reportMap (accessed October 27, 2023).
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Firefighters. The Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/firefighters.htm (accessed October 27, 2023).
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Fire Inspectors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/fire-inspectors-and-investigators.htm (accessed October 27, 2023)
- “Average Fire Inspector Hourly Pay.” Payscale. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Inspector/Hourly_Rate (accessed October, 27, 2023.
- “Nonresidential Fire Estimates” U.S. Fire Administration. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/nonresidential-fires/ (accessed October 27, 2023).
- “Average Fire Safety Director Hourly Pay.” Payscale. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Safety_Director/Hourly_Rate (accessed October 27, 2023).
- “Fire department calls.” National Fire Protection Association. https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/Emergency-Responders/Fire-department-calls (accessed October 27, 2023).
- “Average Fire Inspector/Investigator Salary.” Payscale. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Inspector_%2F_Investigator/Salary (accessed October 27, 2023).
- Hall, Shelby. Evarts, Ben. “Fire Loss in the United States During 2021.” NFPA Research. https://www.nfpa.org/~/media/fd0144a044c84fc5baf90c05c04890b7.ashx (accessed October 27, 2023).
- “Average Fire Protection Engineer Salary” Payscale. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fire_Protection_Engineer/Salary (accessed October 27, 2023).
- “Fire Death and Injury Risk.” U.S. Fire Administration. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/deaths-injuries/ (accessed October 27, 2023).