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Fire Protection Engineer - Personal requirements

Mataaro Ārai Ahi

Skills & knowledge

Fire protection engineers need to have:

knowledge of passive fire protection systems such as fire-rated building materials and fire resistant doors
knowledge of active fire protection systems such as fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, foam systems, gas flood systems and deluge systems
an understanding of fire and fire safety
knowledge of mechanical engineering
knowledge of relevant legislation such as the Resource Management Act, the New Zealand Building Code, and local by-laws and town planning regulations
knowledge of physics and maths
skill in analysing and interpreting information such as client requirements, plans, and designs
problem-solving skills
planning and organisational skills
communication skills
writing skills for producing reports
computer skills, including the ability to use computer-aided design (CAD) software.

"Knowing about building regulations comes into it a lot, so you end up developing quite a good understanding of how the building industry works, and how the legislation and regulations are set up."

Ross Parry - Fire Safety Engineer

Personal Qualities

Fire protection engineers should be patient, honest, flexible, quick thinking and practical. They should also be thorough and able to work well under pressure.