NFPA 1037 - Fire Marshal Job Performance Requirements
NFPA 1037 defines the Fire Marshal as an administrative and supervisory qualification. Its JPRs cover administration, fire prevention and code enforcement, fire investigation program management, public education, personnel, and interagency coordination. On the IAAI-FIT exam, the key distinction is that 1037 tests management of the investigation and prevention system, not the hands-on origin-and-cause performance defined in NFPA 1033.
Core JPR areas
- Administration: budgets, records, reports, policies, and resource allocation.
- Fire prevention and code enforcement: inspections, plan review, permits, code adoption, and compliance follow-up.
- Fire investigation program: ensure investigations are assigned to qualified personnel, scene security is maintained, evidence and chain of custody are managed, and legal/interagency coordination occurs.
- Public education and community relations: deliver prevention programs and represent the organization.
- Personnel: supervise, train, and evaluate staff; maintain qualifications.
Worked example
A Fire Marshal receives a report of a commercial kitchen fire. The marshal should confirm that a 1033-qualified investigator is assigned, that the scene is secured and evidence preserved, and that police and insurance representatives are coordinated. The marshal also checks whether the suppression system, hood cleaning, and permits meet code, and whether a public-education or inspection follow-up is needed. The reasoning: the Fire Marshal manages the process and the prevention system; the qualified investigator makes the origin-and-cause determination. The marshal may testify about records or code, but should not substitute administrative authority for technical qualification.
Traps
The common error is assuming the Fire Marshal personally performs the full origin-and-cause examination. Another is confusing 1037 program JPRs with 1033 technical JPRs. Candidates also overlook code enforcement, permit follow-up, budget/training responsibilities, and documentation of the investigation program. Do not treat public education as optional filler; it is a JPR area.