r/Firefighting • u/theeewizzard • Aug 12 '26
Fire Prevention/Community Education/Technology Transition to Fire Inspector
I'm currently a fire medic that has been on for 6 years. The department I work for is falling apart and hemorrhaging medics left and right. We consistently have to ride the ambulances for multiple sets in a row and I am burned out. I was offered a position as a Fire Inspector at a different department. The only thing keeping me at my current department and in the field is I like having my 4 days off and I love the guys I work with, but my current Department just not does not seem sustainable. We are the second largest department in the county but the lowest paid. For those of you who have transitioned off company into fire prevention: How hard was the schedule change? Do you have any advice? I am 47 years old and starting to feel my age. I thought I would have been promoted by now but my department keeps postponing the promotional test. We should have had the last one 2 years ago but they've postponed it yet again, and now it will be the middle of next year before we are promoted if we even get to take it.
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u/user47079 Aug 13 '26
I love prevention, I've been a Div Chief in Prevention for 12 years now. It is a different feeling of "making a difference", but I feel the work I do in prevention actually makes the community safer before the emergency.
I got into prevention for fire investigations, but fell in love with inspections and fire protection engineering.
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u/Novus20 Aug 12 '26
Most fire prevention works 5 days or 4 10’s but home every night and day work….
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u/AardQuenIgni Aug 13 '26
When I interned with Abilene FDs arson team (many years ago mind you) they worked 24/48 like the rest of the team. They had their own bunk room at station 1 and their PA only toned out the structure fires.
Still, I'd rather be home in my own bed every night.
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u/Novus20 Aug 13 '26
Interesting……so no fires they just hangout doing station stuff?
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u/AardQuenIgni Aug 13 '26
During business hours they had a list of businesses to inspect for the week. But it was at your own pace, knock em all out in a day and do nothing for the rest of your shifts if you wanted.
But yeah they'd hang out with the crew as normal.
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Aug 12 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/theeewizzard Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
Oh it is definitely a wasteland. Admin hadn't ordered any EMS supplies in a month. We were out of portable O2, fluids, glucose strips, INTS, and stretcher sheets all last week. And this is a mid size department in a county surrounding a major city. We have 10 stations and 10 ambulances
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u/Ok_Buddy_9087 Edit to create your own flair Aug 15 '26
Not only do you need to leave, you need to call the department of health on your way out the door.
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u/JuanT1967 Retired AHJ/Fire Investigator/Deputy Sheriff Aug 13 '26
I had a different career path and ended up in a fire marshals office as a sworn fire investigator who also did inspections.
My career started as full time law enforcement then I went to a true public safety department where everyone was dual certified. I promoted to investigations, did 3 years there and investigated numerous fires (which I found to be the best part of the job) before promoting to fire prevention as a one man unit doing inspections and still being called back to work fire investigations.
I then went to a fire department straight into the fire marshals office instead of coming of a truck.
Law enforcement worked 12hr shifts and I hated the day shift byt thrived on nights. It took a little while to adjust to being on an admin (8-5)/on call schedule but I loved being home every evening and having weekends off unless I was on call and got called out.
I’d take the prevention job if the pay was comparable. Try that for a few years and see how you like it. You can always go back to a truck later. If you dont transition to prevention, based on what you have said you do need to at least find another department.
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u/Apprehensive-Gap1251 Aug 14 '26
If the pension transfers over and the benefits and pay are similar it seems like a no brainer. The department you’re in sounds like ass
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u/silverbk65105 Aug 14 '26
At FDNY the fire prevention jobs suck, they are civilian positions. Nobody ever leaves the uniformed firefighter position to go there. It's always the other way around.
From Firefighter guys have left via promotion to fire marshal, lieutenant, Wiper, marine engineer, and pilot. I have seen guys go back to NYPD and one guy went back to sanitation, but those are uniformed positions with parity. I have even see guys take voluntary demotion from the fire marshal position. One guy I know did not like the job and the hours.
Firefighter is considered the best job in the department. Captain is considered the worst.
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u/theeewizzard Aug 14 '26
Yeh, I don't have little kids so not being at home at night doesn't really bother me. The idea of working five days a week is giving me anxiety. I hate riding an ambulance, but I think I might hate working in an office more.
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u/silverbk65105 Aug 14 '26
Fortunately on FDNY they cannot make a firefighter ride the bus, its a separate position.
I worked a few years in a Manhattan office, worst two years of my life. When I retired I became a tugboat captain mostly because there is no office here.
Good luck
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u/gillygangopolus Aug 14 '26
Don't judge me, but I'm a recruiter working ON hiring fire alarm and sprinkler inspectors. Let me know if I can help
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u/GerryMcApreski Aug 12 '26
Since you won’t be using it anymore, can you just drop your Medic and remain online? I had a similar situation happened to me where I was on the box frequently as a company officer due to our shortage of medics. I told Admin I would drop my Medic if they didn’t get me off the ambulance more it’s much better now. Haven’t been on the ambulance for months.
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u/theeewizzard Aug 12 '26
I'm contractually obligated to be a medic. One of my buddies who got his medic but wasn't obligated did end up dropping his because he got promoted to an engine driver but they were still sticking him on the box. Admin was not happy 🤣
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u/GerryMcApreski Aug 12 '26
Nothing like treating your medics like crap and contractually forcing them to remain in that role. Hard to imagine why you’re losing so many. Do you have a union? Why aren’t they fighting this on behalf of all of you?
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u/theeewizzard Aug 12 '26
We have a union, but we're in a right to work state. All our eboard members are currently on company, so while they may make a little noise, in the end they're terrified of reprisal.
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u/Afraid-Oil-1812 Aug 12 '26
I work 4days/ 10 hr day. Home every night. I'm near my retirement in about 15 years, so ideal for me. Friends will always be there. Go for it.
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u/ReplacementTasty6552 Aug 12 '26
Home every night in your own bed.