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Career Exploration

Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers

Also called: Consulting Engineer, Engineer, Fire Protection Consultant, Fire Protection Engineer (FP Engineer)

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.

On the job, you would:
  • Advise architects, builders, and other construction personnel on fire prevention equipment and techniques and on fire code and standard interpretation and compliance.
  • 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.
  • Design fire detection equipment, alarm systems, and fire extinguishing devices and systems.
On the job, you'll need:

Engineering and Technology

  • product and service development
  • design

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • physics

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Basic Skills

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
  • reading work related information

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • read and understand what is written

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems

Visual Understanding

  • see hidden patterns
  • quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things

Math

  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Realistic

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Attention to Detail
  • Cooperation
  • Initiative

Computer aided design CAD software

  • Autodesk Revit
  • Bentley MicroStation

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Analytical or scientific software

  • ANSYS simulation software
  • Simulation of fires in enclosures SOFIE software

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Average.

New job opportunities are likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $100,660

Education

Bachelor's degree is usually needed.