Editing Firefighter (section)

===Fire prevention===
[[File:FiremanPaffandElmo.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.6|Firefighters frequently give fire prevention talks at schools and community events]]

Fire departments frequently provide advice to the public on how to prevent fires in the home and work-place environments. Fire inspectors or fire marshals will directly inspect businesses to ensure they are up to the current building [[fire code]]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=5000|title=NFPA 5000 Building Construction and Safety Code|website=National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)|access-date=8 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iccsafe.org/codes-tech-support/codes/2018-i-codes/ifc/|title=Overview of the International Fire Code|website=International Code Council (ICC)|access-date=8 July 2018|date=2015-03-20}}</ref> which are enforced so that a building can sufficiently resist fire spread, potential hazards are located, and to ensure that occupants can be safely evacuated, commensurate with the risks involved.

[[fire sprinkler|Fire suppression systems]] have a proven record for controlling and extinguishing unwanted fires. Many fire officials recommend that every building, including residences, have [[fire sprinkler]] systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Campaigns/Fire-Sprinkler-Initiative/Legislation-and-adoptions/Sprinkler-requirements|title=NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative|website=National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)|access-date=8 July 2018}}</ref> Correctly working sprinklers in a residence ''greatly'' reduce the risk of death from a fire.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.firehouse.com/home/article/12096404/research-shows-residential-sprinklers-save-lives|title=Research Shows Residential Sprinklers Save Lives|last1=Pollack|first1=Keshia|date=August 24, 2015|access-date=8 July 2018|publisher=SAGE Journal|last2=Frattaroli|first2=Shannon|issue=Fire and Worker Health and Safety|last3=Somers|first3=Scott}}</ref> With the small rooms typical of a residence, one or two sprinklers can cover most rooms. In the United States, the housing industry trade groups have lobbied at the State level to prevent the requirement for fire sprinklers in one or two family homes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/the-fire-sprinkler-war-state-by-state|title=The Fire Sprinkler War, State by State|last1=Faturechi|first1=Robert|date=June 22, 2016|work=Propublica|access-date=8 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Campaigns/Fire-Sprinkler-Initiative/Legislation-and-adoptions/Anti-sprinkler-legislation|title=Anti-sprinkler legislation|website=National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)|access-date=8 July 2018}}</ref>

Other methods of fire prevention are by directing efforts to reduce known hazardous conditions or by preventing dangerous acts before tragedy strikes. This is normally accomplished in many innovative ways such as conducting presentations, distributing safety brochures, providing news articles, writing [[public safety announcement]]s (PSA) or establishing meaningful displays in well-visited areas. Ensuring that each household has working [[smoke alarm]]s, is educated in the proper techniques of fire safety, has an evacuation route and rendezvous point is of top priority in [[public education]] for most fire prevention teams in almost all fire department localities.

Fire investigators, who are experienced firefighters trained in fire cause determinism, are dispatched to fire scenes in order to investigate and determine whether the fire was a result of an accident or intentional. Some fire investigators have full law enforcement powers to investigate and arrest suspected arsonists.