How to hire a fire safety inspector

How to hire a fire safety inspector, step by step

Here's a step-by-step fire safety inspector hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a fire safety inspector job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new fire safety inspector
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The fire safety inspector hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A fire safety inspector's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, fire safety inspectors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents fire safety inspector salaries for various positions.

   Type of Fire Safety Inspector	Description	Hourly rate
   Fire Safety Inspector	Fire inspectors examine buildings to detect fire hazards and ensure that federal, state, and local fire codes are met. Fire investigators determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions... Show more	$14-27
   Inspector	An inspector is responsible for overseeing the overall condition of the site, ensuring that it complies with the safety standards and regulations. Inspectors' duties include monitoring the quality of the materials used, inspecting any defects and discrepancies that might compromise the operations, generating reports to assess the product costing if it meets the budget goals, and utilizing available resources in the market for the highest quality project... Show more	$12-25
   Fire Inspector	A fire inspector is in charge of conducting inspections in establishments and structures to identify fire safety violations and ensure compliance with state and federal laws and fire codes. They typically travel and visit various buildings, review documents, examine fire alarm and control equipment, enforce corrective measures against violations, and produce inspection reports to be submitted at local permit offices... Show more	$15-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Fire Protection
   • Fire Prevention
   • NFPA
   • State Fire
   • CPR
   • Emergency Situations
   • Safety Standards
   • Ladders
   • Code Compliance
   • Safety Codes
   • Sprinklers
   • Alarm Panels
   • Building Codes
   • EMS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead infantry teams in combat operations, providing tactical and technical guidance to subordinates and professional support to superiors.
   • Investigate and document incidents using accurate and industry relate terminology to protect against lawsuits and to provide OSHA with additional information.
   • Lead infantry teams in combat operations, providing tactical and technical guidance to subordinates and professional support to superiors.

   More fire safety inspector duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your fire safety inspector job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A fire safety inspector salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, fire safety inspectors' average salary in louisiana is 54% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level fire safety inspectors earn 48% less than senior-level fire safety inspectors.
   • Certifications. A fire safety inspector with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a fire safety inspector's salary.

   Average fire safety inspector salary

   $41,877yearly

   $20.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level fire safety inspector salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average fire safety inspector salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$60,112	$29
   2	Ohio	$58,206	$28
   3	Mississippi	$54,472	$26
   4	Colorado	$50,893	$24
   5	Indiana	$47,142	$23
   6	Arizona	$44,227	$21
   7	New Jersey	$41,140	$20
   8	Florida	$39,620	$19
   9	Iowa	$36,957	$18
   10	South Carolina	$29,849	$14

   Average fire safety inspector salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City of Riverside	$49,922	$24.00
   2	Cleveland Clinic	$44,973	$21.62	8
   3	State Bar of Michigan	$42,723	$20.54	2
   4	VFS Fire & Security Services	$42,038	$20.21
   5	APi Group	$41,960	$20.17	156
   6	University of Iowa Center for Advancement	$41,834	$20.11	5
   7	Western States Fire Protection	$41,677	$20.04
   8	G4S	$39,253	$18.87
   9	G4s Secure Solutions International Inc.	$38,494	$18.51
   10	Florida Gulf Coast University	$36,363	$17.48
   11	Caesars Entertainment	$32,318	$15.54	10
   12	State of Ohio	$30,059	$14.45	10
   13	S.C. Department of Commerce	$27,666	$13.30

4. Writing a fire safety inspector job description

   A fire safety inspector job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a fire safety inspector job description:

   Fire safety inspector job description example

   This position performs technical and clerical tasks in fire inspection, prevention, and public education, including responsibility for field enforcement of City Code of Ordinances and the Florida Fire Prevention Code. Employee works in accordance with directives received from Fire Chief or designee, however, is expected to exercise considerable independence and initiative
   Essential Functions and Responsibilities:
   
   The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.
   
   * Performs field inspections of new/existing buildings during the construction process; compares actual work to planned work to ensure compliance with approved construction plans.
   * Inspects new/remodeled commercial buildings, industrial buildings, assemblies, and businesses. Working knowledge of Florida Fire Prevention Code, Local, and City ordinances.
   * Conducts building plan review, demolition inspections, code infraction warnings and citations.
   * Enforces fire prevention codes and ordinances firmly, tactfully and impartially.
   * Evaluates proposed fire protection elements of a building and assures that they are in accordance with applicable codes.
   * Prepare reports and correspondence pertaining to fire protection engineering problems and fire and life safety code enforcement.
   * Evaluate alternate suppression systems such as CO2 systems, dry systems and water based fire suppression systems.
   * Attend meetings with staff, engineers, architects, and contractors, for technical assistance and resolutions to various problems.
   * Maintain proficiency with code changes and ordinances. Prepare comments identifying code deficiencies.
   * Provide technical information to the general public for questions relating to building code requirements.
   * May perform site inspections to confirm construction compliance with approved plans.
   * Fosters positive employee relations and employee morale on a City-wide basis.
   
   Minimum Qualifications
   
   Associate's Degree in a related field supplemented by two (2) years of experience and training in fire inspections, plan review and code enforcement,or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Must possess State of Florida Fire Safety Inspector I Certification.
   
   LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS OR REGISTRATIONS:
   
   * Florida State Firefighter Minimum Standards (F.S.S. 633).
   * Florida State Fire Safety Inspector I Certification.
   * Current CPR certification.
   * ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800
   * Valid and current Florida Class E Driver's License.
   
   Ability to read plans (commercial and multi-family residential). Skill in technical writing. Knowledge of computer operations. Work involves considerable public contact and requires the ability to deal with public relations issues in a professional, tactful and courteous manner. Working knowledge of firefighting principles and practices and fire prevention inspection techniques. Working knowledge of building materials, construction practices and mechanical systems related to fire prevention, fire suppression and the safeguarding of lives and property from fire. Ability to work effectively with others. Ability to communicate effectively orally, non-verbally, and in writing. Ability to manage and prioritize routine, specialized and complex assignments and problems utilizing knowledge acquired through prior education, training, and experience. Ability to adapt to an evolving and continually improving environment. Requires demonstrated ability to utilize personal computer and office software such as MS Word, MS Excel and electronic mail.
   
   Supplemental Information
   
   Physical Demands/Work Environment:
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Travel from site to site; work in the field, construction site and office environments; exposure to noise, dust, grease, smoke, fumes, gases, potentially hazardous chemicals; inspect in restricted spaces. Employee may have to work outside in a subtropical climate under adverse weather conditions and high noise levels. Employee may have to work rotating shifts to include nights, weekends and holidays.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find fire safety inspectors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your fire safety inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit fire safety inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit fire safety inspectors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new fire safety inspector

   Once you've found the fire safety inspector candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new fire safety inspector. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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