Fire investigator vs certified medical technician

The differences between fire investigators and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a fire investigator, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a fire investigator has an average salary of $64,364, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a fire investigator include NFPA, scientific methods and legal proceedings. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Fire investigator vs certified medical technician overview

	Fire Investigator	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$64,364	$38,859
Hourly rate	$30.94	$18.68
Growth rate	6%	5%
Number of jobs	20,597	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	49	44
Years of experience	6	12

What does a fire investigator do?

Fire investigators are the people who determine how the fire started and why the fire behaved the way it did. Fire investigation is important because the data collected can be used for future fires from happening. Fire investigators will collect evidence, identify any potential accelerants, and the cause of a fire on the scene. At times, they also interview the witness and assist in identifying offenders in the cases of arson and suspects. Being an active listener, having precise judgment, a critical thinker, and having the skills to communicate properly, whether verbally or in written form, are the skills needed for this profession.

What does a certified medical technician do?

Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.

Fire investigator vs certified medical technician salary

Fire investigators and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fire Investigator	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$64,364	$38,859
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $95,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between fire investigator and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a fire investigator and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Fire Investigator	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Fire Science And Protection	Nursing
Most common college	John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York	University of Connecticut

Fire investigator vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between fire investigators' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Fire Investigator	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	49	44
Gender ratio	Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 1.2% White, 71.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%	Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	18%	8%

Differences between fire investigator and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Fire investigator example responsibilities.

Manage repair processes in a timely fashion to mitigate claims cost and reduce litigation exposure.
Supervise the patrol officers in assisting and leading them in their performance of their duties.
Provide recommendations to assist in the determination of claim settlement or litigation.
Work closely with patrol, investigation, and at-large representatives to avoid costly collective bargaining problems.
Assist attorneys in misdemeanor civil/criminal cases by delivering subpoenas, interviewing witnesses, collecting and documenting evidence relate to open cases.
Utilize insurance investigative databases (ISO, NCIB) to review history and complete thorough investigations.

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.

Fire investigator vs certified medical technician skills

Common fire investigator skills

NFPA, 42%
Scientific Methods, 13%
Legal Proceedings, 10%
Litigation, 8%
Fire Scenes, 5%
Evidence Collection, 4%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

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Fire Investigator
Fire Investigator vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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