How Do I Become a Fire Safety Director?
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How Do I Become a Fire Safety Director
You need to take a fire safety director training course and pass an exam. You also need a certificate of fitness from the FDNY to work as a fire safety director. The certificate is valid for three years.
Your duties include ensuring that all buildings or properties have proper fire and life safety systems, including fire alarms, smoke detectors and sprinklers. Your responsibilities also include monitoring these systems, making sure they are working properly and identifying any problems that may arise. You also train staff and oversee the implementation of emergency plans for building occupants to ensure they are prepared in the event of a fire.
How to Become a Fire Safety Director
The first step in becoming a fire safety director is to take a training course at an FDNY-accredited school. The courses take between 20 and 24 hours, and you must earn a passing score of 70 percent to graduate. You can then apply to sit for the FDNY certification exam, which is usually administered within a year of graduation.
A college degree isn’t a requirement for this job, but it can help you advance your career by giving you access to better positions. Many fire safety directors advance to jobs that require specialized knowledge, such as fire marshals or fire inspectors.
Taking a course in computer science or database management can be helpful, as you’ll use computers on your job. You should also consider English and speech classes, since you’ll be interacting with many people on a daily basis.
If you want to move up the ladder in this career, you can pursue a bachelor’s degree in fire science or a related field. Alternatively, you can complete a certificate program in fire management and emergency response.
Your salary will depend on your location and the size of the buildings you supervise. The average fire safety director salary is $86,182 in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How to Become a Certified Fire Safety Director
To become a fire safety director, you need to pass an exam and a site test. You have one year after passing the written exam to schedule the site test. You can arrange for this online.
During the test, an examiner will present you with several scenarios and ask you to describe your response in each case. You’ll also complete practical demonstrations, such as operating an elevator in an emergency situation.
The exam includes questions about fire safety, evacuation procedures and equipment use and inspection. You have about 500 minutes to complete the 100-question exam.
A fire safety director certificate is a legal document that permits you to work in the City of New York as an FSD. It’s important to pass the written exam and the site test, so you can start your new job as a fire safety director with confidence.
How to Become a City of New York Fire and Life Safety Director
A city fire and life safety director is a licensed FDNY employee who teaches commercial and residential building occupants how to prepare for emergencies such as medical or active shooter situations. Previously, these types of emergencies were mainly fire-related, but changes in the 2014 Fire Code have added other non-fire-related issues to the list of subjects you must train in. In addition to fire safety, you must also be familiar with emergency action plans, human behavior and the use of different communication devices.
