Description:
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.
Tasks
- 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.
- Advise architects, builders, and other construction personnel on fire prevention equipment and techniques, and on fire code and standard interpretation and compliance.
- Prepare and write reports detailing specific fire prevention and protection issues such as work performed and proposed review schedules.
- Determine causes of fires and ways in which they could have been prevented.
- Direct the purchase, modification, installation, maintenance, and operation of fire protection systems.
- Consult with authorities to discuss safety regulations and to recommend changes as necessary.
- Develop plans for the prevention of destruction by fire, wind, and water.
- Study the relationships between ignition sources and materials to determine how fires start.
- Attend workshops, seminars, or conferences to present or obtain information regarding fire prevention and protection.
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
- Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Abilities
- Problem Sensitivity
- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Inductive Reasoning
- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Clarity
- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Oral Comprehension
- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Information Ordering
- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Written Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Interacting With Computers
- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
- Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
- Processing Information
- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Work Context
- Telephone
- How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
- Electronic Mail
- How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Letters and Memos
- How often does the job require written letters and memos?
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
- Work With Work Group or Team
- How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Time Pressure
- How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Interests
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Work Style
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Analytical Thinking
- Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Initiative
- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Stress Tolerance
- Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Persistence
- Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Achievement/Effort
- Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Work Value
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Related Occupations
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Industrial Safety and Health Engineers
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Fire Inspectors
- Fire Investigators
- Fish and Game Wardens