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Fire Inspector & Investigator

Public Sector

Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Public Safety & Defence

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
  2. 2Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
  3. 3Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
  4. 4Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
  5. 5Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
  6. 6Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony.
  7. 7Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
  8. 8Examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood, and accelerant residue for use in determining the cause of a fire.
  9. 9Inspect buildings to locate hazardous conditions and fire code violations, such as accumulations of combustible material, electrical wiring problems, and inadequate or non-functional fire exits.
  10. 10Instruct children about the dangers of fire.
  11. 11Conduct fire code compliance follow-ups to ensure that corrective actions have been taken in cases where violations were found.
  12. 12Inspect properties that store, handle, and use hazardous materials to ensure compliance with laws, codes, and regulations, and issue hazardous materials permits to facilities found in compliance.
  13. 13Write detailed reports of fire inspections performed, fire code violations observed, and corrective recommendations offered.
  14. 14Conduct internal investigation to determine negligence and violation of laws and regulations by fire department employees.
  15. 15Identify corrective actions necessary to bring properties into compliance with applicable fire codes, laws, regulations, and standards, and explain these measures to property owners or their representatives.
  16. 16Test sites and materials to establish facts, such as burn patterns and flash points of materials, using test equipment.
  17. 17Develop or review fire exit plans.
  18. 18Inspect and test fire protection or fire detection systems to verify that such systems are installed in accordance with appropriate laws, codes, ordinances, regulations, and standards.
  19. 19Coordinate efforts with other organizations, such as law enforcement agencies.
  20. 20Attend training classes to maintain current knowledge of fire prevention, safety, and firefighting procedures.
  21. 21Review blueprints and plans for new or remodeled buildings to ensure the structures meet fire safety codes.
  22. 22Dust evidence or portions of fire scenes for latent fingerprints.
  23. 23Teach fire investigation techniques to other firefighter personnel.
  24. 24Arrange for the replacement of defective fire fighting equipment and for repair of fire alarm and sprinkler systems, making minor repairs such as servicing fire extinguishers when feasible.
  25. 25Conduct fire exit drills to monitor and evaluate evacuation procedures.
  26. 26Issue permits for public assemblies.
  27. 27Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
  28. 28Teach public education programs on fire safety and prevention.
  29. 29Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management.
  30. 30Recommend changes to fire prevention, inspection, and fire code endorsement procedures.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • CFI
  • CFEI
  • CVFI
  • Inspector
  • K9 Handler
  • Code Official
  • Fire Marshall
  • Fire Official
  • Fire Inspector
  • Alarm Inspector

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-secondary certificate

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Civil Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Engineering DrawingDraws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Public Safety and Security94%
  • Customer and Personal Service86%
  • Building and Construction85%

    Civil Engineering StudiesEngineering DrawingDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Law and Government82%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Education and Training80%
  • English Language74%

    English

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherOften
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingA little
  • Time walking or movingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

25%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Firefighter (Bomba)

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org