AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 33-2021.00

Will AI replace Fire Inspectors and Investigators?

Fire Inspectors and Investigators: AI can already handle 6 of 30 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 30 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Fire Inspectors and Investigators, from most to least exposed. 6 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Inspect 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. 80 Estimated Standard 4.3
Develop or review fire exit plans. 65 Estimated Frontier 4.3
Review blueprints and plans for new or remodeled buildings to ensure the structures meet fire safety codes. 65 Estimated Standard 4.2
Conduct fire exit drills to monitor and evaluate evacuation procedures. 65 Estimated Standard 4.0
Write detailed reports of fire inspections performed, fire code violations observed, and corrective recommendations offered. 60 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Recommend changes to fire prevention, inspection, and fire code endorsement procedures. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Coordinate efforts with other organizations, such as law enforcement agencies. 50 Estimated Standard 4.3
Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance. 50 Estimated Standard 3.9
Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Attend training classes to maintain current knowledge of fire prevention, safety, and firefighting procedures. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Teach fire investigation techniques to other firefighter personnel. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Teach public education programs on fire safety and prevention. 35 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.8
Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.8
Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood, and accelerant residue for use in determining the cause of a fire. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Instruct children about the dangers of fire. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Conduct fire code compliance follow-ups to ensure that corrective actions have been taken in cases where violations were found. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Conduct internal investigation to determine negligence and violation of laws and regulations by fire department employees. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Identify 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. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Test sites and materials to establish facts, such as burn patterns and flash points of materials, using test equipment. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Dust evidence or portions of fire scenes for latent fingerprints. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Issue permits for public assemblies. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.9
Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Inspect 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. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Inspect 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. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Arrange 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. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 30 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 30 of 30. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 87% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 96% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 4% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
13,800
Median annual wage
$75,920
Middle half of earners
$58,690 to $95,120
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+3.8%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Fire Inspectors and Investigators and AI

Will AI replace Fire Inspectors and Investigators?

AI already handles 6 of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 37 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +3.8% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Fire Inspectors and Investigators?

37 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 30 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 30 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Fire Inspectors and Investigators tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Inspect 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; Develop or review fire exit plans; Review blueprints and plans for new or remodeled buildings to ensure the structures meet fire safety codes. They are three of the 6 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 87% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Fire Inspectors and Investigators, and what do they earn?

13,800 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $75,920 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +3.8% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Fire Inspectors and Investigators. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/fire-inspectors-and-investigators

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