Profile of a fire engineer

Fire engineers are responsible for more than designing building fire safety. They are also involved in the design of fire protection equipment such as fire pumpsets and smoke detector equipment.

Fire engineers may be called upon to inspect older buildings or structures that were not built with today’s standards in mind. Most importantly, they will provide recommendations and fire safety engineering services on how to make these buildings safer from a potential fire hazard.

The modern-day building codes require some form of compliance by all construction professionals; however, an experienced professional can suggest modifications based on conditions specific to each project/building type which ensures optimum performance levels at minimum cost without sacrificing safety considerations throughout the life cycle of the project(s).

Tasks of a fire engineer include:

• Designing buildings with fire safety in mind
• Designing equipment used to fight fires
• Inspecting older buildings and structures for potential hazards
• Making recommendations for fire safety systems and procedures
• Liaising with local authorities, construction professionals, and architects about fire safety
• Keeping up to date with new fire regulations and laws
• Inspecting equipment, buildings, and materials to make sure they are safe
• Use computer modelling to understand how fires start and spread