What Do Fire Marshals Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for fire marshals?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what fire marshals do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Fire Marshals Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about fire marshals by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Fire Marshals directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.
Popular Job Titles For Fire Marshals
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Fire Chiefs
- Fire Marshals
- Incident Commanders
- Battalion Chiefs
- Prevention Coordinators
- Fire Suppression Technicians
- Deputy Fire Marshals
- Deputy Chiefs
- Chief Deputy Clerks
- Deputy Fire Chiefs
- Assistant Fire Chiefs
- Deputy Chiefs of Party
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for fire marshals can be found.
Best Industries for Fire Marshals
Fire Marshals Jobs By Industry
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 92.1%
- Other Support Services: 3.5%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 2.1%
- Federal Government, Civilian: 1.9%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 0.1%
- Investigation and Security Services: 0%
- Other: 0.30000000000001%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of fire marshals can be found working in the Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals sector. In 2022, about 92.1% of all jobs for fire marshals were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Other Support Services (3.5%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (2.1%), Federal Government, Civilian (1.9%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (0.1%) and Investigation and Security Services (0%).
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Degree Options for Fire Marshals
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- Months To Complete: 6
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- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Fire Marshals Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what fire marshals do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work fire marshals do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that fire marshals tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Fire Marshals
Top 5 Common Skills for Fire Marshals
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 2,543 | 42% |
| Operations | 2,506 | 41% |
| Communications | 2,382 | 39% |
| Leadership | 1,806 | 30% |
| Planning | 1,503 | 25% |
For common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for fire marshals, followed by operations, communications, leadership, planning and coordinating.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 2,543 | 42% |
| Operations | 2,506 | 41% |
| Communications | 2,382 | 39% |
| Leadership | 1,806 | 30% |
| Planning | 1,503 | 25% |
| Coordinating | 1,306 | 22% |
| Writing | 1,085 | 18% |
| Customer Service | 1,044 | 17% |
| Investigation | 753 | 12% |
| Presentations | 702 | 12% |
| Research | 646 | 11% |
| Problem Solving | 643 | 11% |
| Budgeting | 622 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 550 | 9% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 540 | 9% |
| Decision Making | 521 | 9% |
| Strategic Planning | 508 | 8% |
| Good Driving Record | 504 | 8% |
| Microsoft Excel | 484 | 8% |
| Supervision | 483 | 8% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Fire Marshals
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Chiefs | 771 | 11.2% |
| Fire Marshals | 909 | 13.2% |
| Incident Commanders | 509 | 7.4% |
| Battalion Chiefs | 393 | 5.7% |
| Prevention Coordinators | 498 | 7.3% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was fire chiefs, with 442 unique job postings. Fire marshals were second, with 212 postings, followed by incident commanders, battalion chiefs and prevention coordinators.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to fire marshals.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Chiefs | 771 | 11.2% |
| Fire Marshals | 909 | 13.2% |
| Incident Commanders | 509 | 7.4% |
| Battalion Chiefs | 393 | 5.7% |
| Prevention Coordinators | 498 | 7.3% |
| Fire Suppression Technicians | 452 | 6.6% |
| Deputy Fire Marshals | 282 | 4.1% |
| Deputy Chiefs | 276 | 4% |
| Chief Deputy Clerks | 288 | 4.2% |
| Deputy Fire Chiefs | 285 | 4.2% |
| Assistant Fire Chiefs | 284 | 4.1% |
| Deputy Chiefs of Party | 166 | 2.4% |
| Firefighters | 202 | 2.9% |
| Bosses | 382 | 5.6% |
| Deputy Chiefs of Operations | 226 | 3.3% |
| Assistant Fire Marshals | 167 | 2.4% |
| Fire Management Officers | 141 | 2.1% |
| Section Leaders | 178 | 2.6% |
| Dispatch Leads | 309 | 4.5% |
| Deputy State Fire Marshals | 146 | 2.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for fire marshals? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for fire marshals.
How much do fire marshals make?
Fire Marshals: How do you become one?
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