Inspector Li Says His Career Provides True Awareness

F DNY member Will Li has spent the last four years working as a Supervising Fire Protection Inspector and he serves in our Bureau of Fire Prevention’s Range Hood Unit.

“I like doing inspections of kitchens because that’s where a lot of fires start due to grease build up and poor ventilation,” he explained. “Fire Protection Inspectors are the first ones there to make sure the kitchen is safe and up to code, so if there is an actual fire and Firefighters are called, it will be minimized.”

His responsibilites include checking the summonses and violation orders that are issued in the field to make sure they’re written correctly. He also reviews the plans for the range hoods that are ready to be installed to ensure they are being set up properly as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

“Some days I train new Inspectors on testing range hoods in the field because there are many types of fire suppression systems that we have to learn and this job can be very technical because each brand may have different requirements to enforce the code,” he said. “We complete a lot of inspections and the purpose is to protect the public, so we have to present ourselves as professionals and make sure we complete proper inspections. It’s always busy here in New York City and working for the FDNY has given me a new sense of awareness.”

Learn how you can join our Bureau of Fire Prevention by clicking here.