What does a Fire Alarm Technician do?

A fire alarm technician is an individual who installs, operates, and maintains the fire alarm systems of a building. Fire alarm technicians must inspect and repair heat detectors and sprinkler heads as well as test the building's fire alarm systems using appropriate diagnostic programs and equipment. They are required to review electrical layout blueprints to determine whether the fire alarm systems comply with the electrical and fire safety codes. Fire alarm technicians must also communicate with clients to ensure that all fire alarm systems are installed and working properly.
Fire alarm technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real fire alarm technician resumes:
- Install, manage, and troubleshoot CAT3, CAT5, CAT6, and fiber optic infrastructures throughout the greater Tulsa area.
- Perform installation by climbing to heights and scaffolding while lifting all equipments.
- Certify, recharge, and sell fire extinguishers to multiple locations around Florida
- Repair, replace, recharge, fill, and tag all fire extinguishers.
- Set up network systems including modems, routers, switches WAPS, and WAPS controllers.
- Prewire commercial/residential with cat5, Rg6, telephone lines, cameras, and home audio wires.
- Train new employees to install, test, and trouble shoot various Honeywell and GE security systems.
- Provide regular monitoring, support and troubleshooting to firewalls, proxies, routers and switches for global networks.
- Maintain the availability of company computer resources including servers, workstations, laptops, and printers and many other peripherals.
- Perform a full spectrum of IA relate tasks including applying IAVA updates from Microsoft to workstations, servers and domain controllers.
- Back up the users data to the server, image computers, and restore their data to their newly re-image PC.
- Diagnose and troubleshoot network connectivity issues.
- Perform service calls to troubleshoot any interruptions or device replacements.
- Provide basic penetration testing to determine if encryption and security software are functioning properly.
- Research attempted efforts to compromise security protocol and recommend solutions, and utilize applicable encryption methods.
Fire alarm technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Fire Alarm Technicians are proficient in Customer Service, Fire Protection, and NFPA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Color vision, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Fire Alarm Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 15%
Provided customer service on associated equipment including changes to access codes.
- Fire Protection, 13%
Collaborate with state, county, and city authorities to ensure building fire protection meets all codes and engineering specifications.
- NFPA, 8%
Conducted test to check for ground faults and shorts while using an Ohm meter and performed different test per NFPA specification.
- Ladders, 7%
Perform elevated work safely utilizing extension ladders and scissor lift equipment.
- Hand Tools, 7%
Programmed all devices to designated addresses using DPU programmer, used various hand tools to complete the tasks.
- Test Equipment, 4%
Conduct flow tests using calibrated test equipment on private fire hydrants, electric and diesel driven fire pumps and standpipe systems.
Most fire alarm technicians use their skills in "customer service," "fire protection," and "nfpa" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential fire alarm technician responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a fire alarm technician to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "fire inspectors must clearly explain fire code violations to building and property managers." Fire alarm technicians often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "developed a streamlined an inspection archive process improving communication and customer service while eliminating waste in the system. "
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of fire alarm technicians is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday fire alarm technician duties, as "fire inspectors must notice minutiae when inspecting sites for code violations or fire risks or for investigating the cause of a fire." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "demonstrate systems for customers and explain details, such as the causes and consequences of false alarms. "
Physical strength. A big part of what fire alarm technicians do relies on "physical strength." You can see how essential it is to fire alarm technician responsibilities because "fire investigators may have to move debris at the site of a fire in order to get a more accurate understanding of the scene." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical fire alarm technician tasks: "performed physical security procedures and personnel security during security upgrade of the facility demonstrated access and control procedures at a government facility"
The three companies that hire the most fire alarm technicians are:
- APi Group61 fire alarm technicians jobs
- Wachter, Inc.38 fire alarm technicians jobs
- M.C. Dean34 fire alarm technicians jobs
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Fire alarm technician vs. Security systems installer
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, fire alarm technician responsibilities require skills like "customer service," "fire protection," "nfpa," and "hvac." Meanwhile a typical security systems installer has skills in areas such as "troubleshoot," "cctv systems," "control panels," and "switches." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
The education levels that security systems installers earn slightly differ from fire alarm technicians. In particular, security systems installers are 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a fire alarm technician. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Fire alarm technician vs. Security installer
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that fire alarm technician responsibilities requires skills like "fire protection," "nfpa," "test equipment," and "hvac." But a security installer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "troubleshoot," "customer satisfaction," "security devices," and "security equipment."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Security installers tend to reach similar levels of education than fire alarm technicians. In fact, they're 1.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Fire alarm technician vs. Protective signal installer
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a fire alarm technician is likely to be skilled in "fire protection," "nfpa," "ladders," and "hand tools," while a typical protective signal installer is skilled in "electrical equipment," "augers," "traffic signal systems," and "troubleshoot."
Protective signal installers typically earn similar educational levels compared to fire alarm technicians. Specifically, they're 2.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Fire alarm technician vs. Burglar alarm installer
Types of fire alarm technician
Updated January 8, 2025