Fire Prevention Officer

City of San Carlos; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 96,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

City of San Carlos seeks a Fire Prevention Officer to serve as a visible safety resource for the community, collaborating with the Redwood City Fire Department and City staff to conduct inspections, plan reviews, and fire investigations.

The ideal candidate will independently manage a varied workload from initial assignment through completion, maintain records, provide public education, and participate in fuels management and on-call duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of California Titles 19 and 24, IBC and NFPA Fire Codes.
• Principles and practices of fire protection engineering.
• Fundamentals and techniques of determining fire and life safety of structures.
• Fire investigations: knowledge of evidence collection and handling.

Responsibilities

• Interpret and enforce fire prevention codes and ordinances.
• Perform periodic inspections of buildings and installations with fire clearances.
• Investigate complaints and issue correction orders, including weed abatement.
• Investigate origin and cause of fires and present evidence in court when required.
• Conduct wildland urban interface inspections and enforce related actions.
• Develop and implement a fuels management program to reduce wildfire risk.
• Be on call for fire investigations as needed.
• Provide public information on fire prevention practices.
• Develop training programs and group presentations on fire prevention and investigation.
• Check plans and calculations for fire safety compliance and equipment installations.
• Verify fire life safety requirements per California codes and building standards.
• Conduct surveys and analyze data to assess life safety provisions.
• Offer interpretations to staff, contractors, and stakeholders on fire requirements.
• Issue permits and conduct field inspections where assigned.
• Prepare reports and maintain records; perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Reading and interpreting site plans

Coordinating the flow of assigned work

Performing fire and life safety code I

Expressing ideas clearly

Maintaining records and reports

Training and reviewing the work of sub

Dealing tactfully with others

Establishing and maintaining effective

Speaking to groups

Education

Three years of responsible fire inspection experience

Education equivalent to one year of college with specialized training in fire safety

Experience in Fire Prevention and Code Enforcement highly desirable

Additional specialized training in fire science/technology or related field highly desirable

Associate Degree in Fire Science or Fire Technology

CPR/AED Certification within one year of hire

Job description

The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the City:

Written Assessment Date: Week of November 16, 2026

Appointment to this position is contingent upon:

*Passing a pre-employment fingerprinting criminal history records check, background check, medical examination and testing, and psychological evaluation.

Resume will not be accepted in lieu of application. Application, including all work history, must be fully completed if a resume is attached. Incomplete and/or inaccurate applications may result in disqualification from the recruitment process. All communication regarding your status in this recruitment process will be conducted via email or postal mail. Be sure to include a valid e-mail address on the employment application. It is suggested that you add [e-mail] and [e-mail] to your e-mail contacts or safe senders list to help ensure that you receive our e-mails. Applicants are responsible for notifying Human Resources of any changes to contact information.

Selection Procedure

Based on the application screening, those candidates with the most relevant qualifications will be invited to an interview, which may include a written exam and/or practical exam.

Salary Range: $69.87 - $84.93 per hour

About the Position

San Carlos takes pride in having a dedicated Fire Prevention Officer who serves as a visible and accessible fire prevention resource for the community. While the position is managed in partnership with the Redwood City Fire Department, the successful candidate will work closely with City of San Carlos staff and will be expected to develop strong working relationships across City departments.

The ideal candidate will be capable of independently managing a varied fire prevention workload from initial assignment through completion, including inspections, code enforcement, plan review, fire investigations, complaints, follow-up activities, public education, and community events. The position requires sound technical judgment, strong organization and follow-through, effective written and verbal communication, and the ability to recognize when an issue requires additional technical or supervisory assistance.

The successful candidate should be comfortable working collaboratively with Planning, Building, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, other City departments, property owners, businesses, contractors, design professionals, community organizations, and Fire Department Operations personnel. Experience working across both California Title 19 and Title 24 responsibilities and with a variety of occupancy types is particularly desirable.

The successful candidate will also work as an integrated member of the Redwood City Fire Department Community Risk Reduction team and will collaborate closely with other Fire Prevention Officers on inspections, investigations, plan review, special projects, and department-wide initiatives.

This position receives supervision from the Deputy Fire Marshal.

• Interpret and enforce provisions of fire prevention and fire safety laws, ordinances and other regulations;
• Perform periodic and follow –up inspections of new and existing buildings, structures and installations requiring fire clearances;
• Investigate complaints pertaining to violation of fire prevention laws and give correction orders as necessary, including weed abatement;
• Investigate the origin and cause of fires, collects, prepares, and presents evidence in court when required;
• Performs wildland urban interface inspections, investigates wildland fuel complaints and take enforcement action when necessary;
• Plans, manages and implements a comprehensive fuels management program to prevent the impact of wildfire on the community;
• Will be periodically required to be on call for fire investigations;
• Provide information to the public concerning fire prevention practices and procedures;
• Develop and conduct training programs and group presentations relative to fire prevention and fire investigation;
• As directed, check plans, specifications, and calculations on building, fire protection equipment and systems, and hazardous equipment installations.
• As directed check plans to determine fire and life safety requirements in accordance with Titles 19 and 24 of the California Administrative Code and applicable Fire Prevention and Building Code Standards.
• Make independent surveys and analyze data for the purpose of determining the adequacy for fire and life safety provisions.
• Give interpretations and answer questions raised by City Building Department staff, contractors, and other interested parties, regarding fire and fire safety requirements and in the application of various codes and requirements.
• As directed and assigned, Issue permits and make field inspections.
• Prepare reports, records and correspondence.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Job-Related and Essential Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Codes, laws, and regulations as related to Titles 19 and 24 of the California Administrative Code, International Building and Fire Codes, and the National Fire Protection Association Fire Code Standards.
• Principles and practices of fire protection engineering.
• The fundamentals and techniques of determining the fire and life safety of structures.
• Practices, procedures, and equipment used in fire investigations, including the ability to recognize and collect evidence

Skill in:

• Reading and interpreting site plans, building plans, fire protection system and equipment plans, specifications and codes;
• Examining and noting deficiencies of plans, calculations and specifications;
• Coordinating the flow of assigned work;
• Performing fire and life safety code inspections;
• Expressing ideas and answering questions clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing;
• Maintaining records and preparing reports;
• Training and reviewing the work of subordinate personnel;
• Dealing tactfully with others and resolving conflict with positive result;
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Speaking to groups

Ability to:

• Apply technical knowledge and follow proper inspection techniques and detect deviations from plans, regulations and standard safety practices;
• Interpret and enforce federal, state and local fire prevention codes and ordinances;
• Identify fire hazards and recommend corrective actions;
• Identify types and determine causes of fires;
• Recognize, identify and preserve evidence;
• Effectively interview witnesses and suspects; Follow complex written and verbal instructions and procedures;
• Use mental abilities to arrive at sound conclusion and judgement;
• Work alone or close proximity to others;
• Operate motor vehicle or motorized equipment;
• Communicate over the telephone or two-way radio;
• Work occasional overtime and irregular hours; and
• Perform the essential functions of the position.
• Perform as an effective team members

Education and Training

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge skills and abilities would be:

• Three years of responsible fire inspection experience.
• Education equivalent to the completion of one year of college supplemented by specialized training in fire suppression, fire safety systems, fire sciences, fire prevention, and plans examining or related field.
• Experience in Fire Prevention and Code Enforcement highly desirable.
• Additional specialized training in fire science/technology or a related field is highly desirable.
• Associate Degree in Fire Science or Fire Technology from an accredited college is highly desirable.
• Possession of a CPR/AED Certificate within one-year of date of hire.

Special Requirements

• Positions in this classification may require the ability to travel independently within and outside of the City limits to fulfill the assigned duties and responsibilities.
• This non-exempt position is subject to a 12-month probationary period;
• Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of employment.

Licenses and Certifications

• Possession of or ability to obtain a valid California Class C driver's license at the time of employment and have a satisfactory driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

The following qualifications are highly desirable:

• California State Fire Training Fire Inspector 1 or Fire Inspector 2 certification;
• California State Fire Training Fire Plans Examiner certification; and
• California State Fire Training Fire Investigator certification.
• Additional State Fire Training certifications, specialized coursework, or demonstrated experience in fire prevention, fire inspection, fire investigation, code enforcement, and fire and life safety plan review are also desirable.