Fire alarm technicians view electrical layouts present on the blueprints to determine appropriate fire alarm systems. They provide cost estimates for system installation and ensure compliance with electrical and fire codes. They also examine and test systems to find any loose connections or circuit malfunctions. Fire alarm technicians earn a median sum of $18 per hour, which amounts to $38,000 per year.
Fire alarm technicians primarily install and update fire alarm systems in commercial and residential buildings. They perform inspections to ensure alarms are installed according to code and perform a detailed inspection to check for any issues. Then, they test and repair the alarm systems that are already in place. Their duties also include maintaining a clean and safe workspace and responding to emergency service calls.
Fire alarm technicians typically hold a high school diploma or GED certificate. However, a bachelor's or associate's degree from accredited universities may be preferred. They are expected to have a fire alarm systems certification, which is administered by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET).
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a fire alarm technician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.07 an hour? That's $54,227 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 1,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
There are certain skills that many fire alarm technicians have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, color vision and detail oriented.
If you're interested in becoming a fire alarm technician, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 16.9% of fire alarm technicians have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 2.8% of fire alarm technicians have master's degrees. Even though some fire alarm technicians have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a fire alarm technician. When we researched the most common majors for a fire alarm technician, we found that they most commonly earn associate degree degrees or high school diploma degrees. Other degrees that we often see on fire alarm technician resumes include bachelor's degree degrees or diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a fire alarm technician. In fact, many fire alarm technician jobs require experience in a role such as electrician. Meanwhile, many fire alarm technicians also have previous career experience in roles such as technician or installation technician.