Alumni Highlight

Bill Johns

My career is in Fire Protection Engineering. Since graduating from CPP, I have completed a BS in Mechanical Engineering from CSULB, completed State Fire Marshal training in fire origin and cause investigation and have work experience in that area, am a licensed Private Investigator, a licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer, am a member of several national committees for NFPA and for SFPE, hold the penultimate grade of Professional Member within SFPE, and currently serve as the immediate supervisor for all but two members of LAFD's Fire Life Safety Plan Check Unit within the Fire Prevention Bureau. We review architectural and engineering plans for compliance with building and fire codes in terms of prescriptive requirements, as well as requests for approval of alternative means and methods of accomplishing the code's intent; or for adequacy in performance-based design; in each case for applicants seeking permits to construct, install, or alter any buildings falling under the jurisdiction of the State Fire Marshal or that involve fire life safety systems or hazardous materials. Our mission is to keep Angelenos and our responding Firefighters safe. The systems and requirements we enforce are the entirety upon which the public has to rely in an emergency until first responders are able to arrive, assess the situation, and begin rescue efforts, as well as for Firefighters to be able to do their jobs without obstructions or undue risk. This opportunity to serve and protect our community, to prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of a fire or other emergency, and to look out for those who put their lives on the line for all of us every day is incredibly fulfilling and rewarding.

Updated October 2021