INSPECTOR 1 FIRE SAFETY
Career Family: INSPECTOR
Inspector 1 Fire Safety is a competitive state title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
It is the lowest-paid of the 3 Inspector grades, a step below Inspector 2 Fire Safety, whose band tops out about $8,452 higher. It expects a bachelor's degree and 4 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY 2027 schedule runs $59,763 to $87,117, and state payroll currently lists about 21 people in the title, most of them at Community Affairs.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Inspector 1 Fire Safety appears on the State payroll at one department, Department of Community Affairs.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Community Affairs | 21 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Pay ladder: Inspector series
- Inspector 1 Fire Safety — $59,763 – $87,117 (this title)
- Inspector 2 Fire Safety — $65,374 – $95,570
- Inspector 3 Fire Safety — $76,287 – $111,856
Promoting to Inspector 2 Fire Safety raises the top of the band by about $8,452. Its top salary lands around the 29th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY 2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 21 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $68,314. The agencies employing the most are:
- Community Affairs (21)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under general supervision of an Inspector 3, Fire Safety or other supervisory official in the Department of Community Affairs, performs the field work involved in the enforcement of New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act, Code, and Regulations; does related work.
Examples of work
- Inspects buildings classified as highrise and life hazard use for compliance with the New Jersey Fire Codes.
- Inspects buildings of various use to ensure that the installation of automatic fire suppression systems is in accordance with the New Jersey Fire Codes. Inspects buildings of six stories above grade or more that are used for human occupancy to ensure that such buildings are equipped with standpipes that are installed in accordance with the New Jersey Fire Codes.
- Conducts field visits and physical inspections of state-owned, leased, and occupied structures to obtain maximum fire protection for the occupants and the premises.
- Appraises buildings to determine the extent and quality of existing fire protection measures and equipment and provides recommendations for the most efficient and economical methods of securing safe structural conditions to protect occupants from the hazards of fire.
- As required, serves penalty notices, orders, rulings, and other legal process including notices of violation.
- Ensures that automatic fire alarm systems, when required, are present, operable, properly maintained, and installed in accordance with the New Jersey Fire Codes and/or NFIPA 72E.
- Inspects buildings for proper and adequate means of egress as determined by use, design, and layout, and ensures that means of egress are accessible, safe, properly equipped and maintained, and meet the requirements of the New Jersey Fire Codes
- Ensures that all exit and information signs are properly displayed and maintained and meet the requirement of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Code with regard to location, illumination, and height.
- Prepares and issues orders to abate violations within a specified time period.
- Reinspects buildings, structures, or premises that have been identified by local enforcing agencies and/or department inspectors as having violation(s) that constitute imminent hazard to the health, safety, or welfare of the occupants or intended occupants, firefighters, or the general public to determine if the violations have been abated.
- Initiates procedures to have buildings, structures, or premises vacated, closed, or removed when life-threatening violations are found.
- Ensures permit applications are obtained where code requires and performs inspections on uses related to the permit.
- Provides assistance to owners concerning the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act, Code, and Regulations and provides advice on how to abate existing violations.
- Interprets the New Jersey Fire Codes for fire code enforcement agencies, fire officials, fire departments, and municipal officials.
- Investigates complaints of alleged fire code violations and prepares reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Prepares and maintains accurate inspection records of actions taken, violations found, progress made, and other conditions observed, and takes photographs pertinent to assignments.
- As required, provides testimony in court and at hearings and acts as a witness in behalf of the state.
- Prepares clear, sound, accurate, and comprehensive reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Maintains records and files.
- Prepares correspondence in the course of official duties.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Experience
Four (4) years of experience in a field associated with the fire service or fire protection industry, such as fire inspector, fire protection system installations, fire protection subcode official, or fire prevention official.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the provisions of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act, Code and Regulations after a period of training.
- Knowledge of the provisions under the Uniform Construction Code Act, Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law, and Rooming and Boarding House Act, and their relation to the Uniform Fire Safety Act after a period of training.
- Knowledge of the methods used to conduct inspections.
- Knowledge of principles and practices of fire safety and protection systems, including limitations, types, operation, maintenance, and installation.
- Knowledge of basic fire protection requirements for residential, commercial, institutional and recreational buildings, structures, and facilities.
- Knowledge of the proper methods for handling and storing hazardous materials.
- Knowledge of means of egress requirements including exit access, exit discharge, and exit signs.
- Knowledge of the operation and maintenance of smoke detectors and the types of smoke detectors and alarms available.
- Knowledge of the procedures used to inspect and evaluate buildings and structures for fire hazards and fire safety.
- Knowledge of requirements for entry and inspection after a period of training.
- Knowledge of the administrative and operational procedures, applied to ensure the timely inspection and reinspection of life hazard uses and highrise buildings, required by the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act, Code, and Regulations after a period of training.
- Knowledge of zoning requirements and terminology.
- Knowledge of the basic plumbing, electrical, and heating systems, and related terminology.
- Ability to conduct inspections to determine hazardous conditions.
- Ability to identify existing and potential fire safety hazards.
- Ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret basic laws, standards, and policies, and apply them to specific situations.
- Ability to establish cooperative working relationships with tenants, owners, municipal officials, and other interested in or concerned with the enforcement of laws relating to fire safety.
- Ability to explain existing and potential fire safety hazards to owners, tenants, and others.
- Ability to estimate the time required to abate violations and establish deadlines by which owners must complete the abatement of violations.
- Ability to act as a witness in hearings and at court proceedings and give provide testimony under oath.
- Ability to prepare clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Ability to maintain records, reports, and files.
- Ability to prepare correspondence.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the field of fire science or related area may be substituted for the four (4) years of indicated experience.
An Associate degree from an accredited college in the field of fire science or related area may be substituted for two (2) years of the indicated experience.
Applicants who possess the next level of certification as a Fire Official are considered to have met the above certification requirement.
CERTIFICATION
Applicant must possess a valid Fire Inspector certification issued by the Division of Fire Safety, Department of Community Affairs, to engage in the enforcement of the New Jersey Fire Codes.