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Fire Investigators
Fire Investigators conduct investigations to determine causes of fires and explosions.
Table of Contents
Job description
Fire Investigators conduct investigations to determine causes of fires and explosions.
- Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
- Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
- Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
- Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
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Salary
Fire Investigators with little to no experience tend to make between $36400 and $46440 while the more experienced ones can earn over $77480 per year.
| Top 5 paying states | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| CA | $50 | $103,830 |
| OR | $43 | $89,860 |
| WA | $39 | $81,430 |
| DC | $36 | $75,800 |
| CO | $36 | $74,790 |
One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Fire Investigator is to move to a higher paying state like CA. Right now, the highest paying states for Fire Investigators are CA, OR, WA, DC and CO.
However, a higher pay at CA doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at CA might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.
Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Fire Investigator is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.
Requirements
We asked other Fire Investigators what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a College Certificate followed by a Post-Secondary Certificate.
Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.
| Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician |
| Fire Science/Fire-fighting |
| Fire/Arson Investigation and Prevention |
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Fire Investigator.
| PROS |
|---|
| Suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work |
| Suitable for people who values achievements and are results-oriented |
| This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors. |
| It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career. |
| Demand for this career is growing |
| CONS |
|---|
| Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs |
| Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week) |
What is the job like
70% of Fire Investigators said they were satisfied with their job and 72% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.
Is this right for me
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..
They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
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Related career information
Fire Investigators job description, Fire Investigators salary, Fire Investigators information, what is the job of a Fire Investigator like, pros and cons about Fire Investigators, colleges and universities for Fire Investigators, is Fire Investigators the right career for me, careers in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement
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