Will fire inspectors be replaced by AI?
Updated
Fire inspectors score 31 of 100 for AI exposure. 53% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 4% today and speed up another 43%.
- 4% AI can do it
- 43% AI helps
- 53% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Lower than 60% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 30 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 13 and leaves 16 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Write detailed reports of fire inspections performed, fire code violations observed, and corrective recommendations offered. Inspection reports are routine writing that AI drafts well. | 72% AI can do it |
| Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects. AI can draft investigation reports from notes; records need review. | 62% AI helps |
| Issue permits for public assemblies. Permit processing is largely paperwork; site checks remain human. | 55% AI helps |
| Develop or review fire exit plans. AI can draft exit plans from building data; site review needed. | 50% AI helps |
| Review blueprints and plans for new or remodeled buildings to ensure the structures meet fire safety codes. AI can check plans against code; expert review of drawings needed. | 50% AI helps |
| Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management. AI can draft program plans and reports; coordination stays human. | 50% AI helps |
| Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion. AI can synthesize evidence, but causation judgment stays human. | 45% AI helps |
| 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. AI can look up code and draft explanations; owner discussions stay human. | 45% AI helps |
| Recommend changes to fire prevention, inspection, and fire code endorsement procedures. AI can analyze policy options and draft proposals for review. | 45% AI helps |
| 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. AI can draft orders and scheduling; physical repairs stay human. | 35% AI helps |
Show the other 20 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Teach public education programs on fire safety and prevention. AI can draft presentation materials; live outreach stays human. | 30% AI helps |
| Instruct children about the dangers of fire. AI can build fire safety lessons; in person teaching stays human. | 28% AI helps |
| Coordinate efforts with other organizations, such as law enforcement agencies. Scheduling and messaging can be AI aided; relationship work stays human. | 28% AI helps |
| Teach fire investigation techniques to other firefighter personnel. AI can help build course content; in person teaching stays human. | 25% AI helps |
| Conduct internal investigation to determine negligence and violation of laws and regulations by fire department employees. Interviews and negligence findings need human judgment and accountability. | 22% Needs a person |
| 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. Hazmat site inspections are on site; permit paperwork is AI aided. | 20% Needs a person |
| Attend training classes to maintain current knowledge of fire prevention, safety, and firefighting procedures. Attending in person classes; AI helps only with study materials. | 20% Needs a person |
| Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony. Live interviews and subpoenas need people; AI helps with transcripts. | 20% Needs a person |
| Conduct fire code compliance follow-ups to ensure that corrective actions have been taken in cases where violations were found. Revisiting sites to verify fixes is physical; paperwork is AI aided. | 18% Needs a person |
| Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance. Supervising and coaching staff is interpersonal and accountable. | 18% Needs a person |
| Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings. Photographing scenes is on site; AI only helps catalog images. | 15% Needs a person |
| 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. On site walkthroughs find hazards; AI only helps with prep. | 15% Needs a person |
| Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems. On site acceptance testing of installed systems is physical work. | 12% Needs a person |
| 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. Testing fire systems in buildings requires hands on equipment work. | 12% Needs a person |
| Conduct fire exit drills to monitor and evaluate evacuation procedures. Running drills and watching evacuations is in person work. | 10% Needs a person |
| Test sites and materials to establish facts, such as burn patterns and flash points of materials, using test equipment. Physical testing of sites and materials with lab equipment. | 10% Needs a person |
| Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms. Live court testimony and legal accountability stay with the person. | 8% Needs a person |
| Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them. Physically sealing and packaging evidence is hands on work. | 5% Needs a person |
| 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. Collecting debris and residue from fire sites is physical. | 5% Needs a person |
| Dust evidence or portions of fire scenes for latent fingerprints. Physically dusting evidence for latent prints is hands on. | 4% Needs a person |
How fire inspectors compare
All occupations (923)
Protective service (26)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $75,920 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 13,800 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +4.2% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Model smoke and fire spread in CFAST
- Hold the IAAI Certified Fire Investigator credential
- Testify in court on fire cause and arson cases
- Collect and package fire debris as evidence
- Check drawings against fire codes in code database software
- Run evacuation drills and log results in Excel
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about fire inspectors and AI
Will AI replace fire inspectors?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours for a fire inspector go to tasks AI can already do, mostly writing detailed inspection reports and drafting investigation reports. Testimony, evidence collection and evacuation drills stay with people because they need a person physically present or legally accountable.
Which fire inspector tasks is AI taking over?
Writing detailed inspection reports is the most exposed task, with an exposure score of 72, because the reports follow a routine format of observed violations and corrective recommendations. Developing fire exit plans and reviewing blueprints against fire codes, each scored 50, are also drafted by AI from building data.
Which fire inspector tasks stay human?
Testifying in court scores 8 on exposure, because live testimony carries legal accountability that stays with the person. Collecting debris and residue from fire sites scores 5, since sifting glass, metal and charred wood is physical work. Conducting fire exit drills scores 10 because watching a real evacuation happens in person.
How can fire inspectors stay valuable?
Build depth in site work and court testimony, the tasks that stay with a person. Hold the IAAI Certified Fire Investigator credential, run CFAST models for complex fire cases, and check AI-drafted reports in Word against the code section each violation cites. Use the hours saved to run more site inspections and evacuation drills.
Related jobs
Next steps for fire inspectors
Check which roles in your team AI can take on
We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first.
Related topics
- Jobs AI can't replaceCement masons score lowest, at 8.
- Jobs most at risk from AIProofreaders score highest, at 76.
- High-paying jobs with low AI exposureRadiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.
- Entry-level jobs with low AI exposureCement masons need little prior training and score 8.
- Jobs AI speeds up the mostFor natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.
- AI and jobs in Malta15 iGaming roles graded task by task.
- Skills that keep work humanThe skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.
- Jobs A to ZEvery job we publish, by first letter.
- AI exposure by industryAverage scores for 22 occupation groups.
- Write a CV screening software can readHow applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.
- AI for businessesThe tasks to automate first in each team and industry.
- How we score AI exposureThe grading, the weights and every source.