Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Terry Walker on November 25, 2010 at 12:55am

I think attending a formal class is appropriate. I taught Investigator for the Alabama Fire College for 8 years before my retirement. It was a basic class but it introduced the students to "look into cause and origin" from a different perspective. It introduced each student to things they always noticed but didn't necessarily take notice of. The class taught how to look at a fire from a totally different approach. It did not make them investigators but gave the students the basic tools in which to work with. It was up to the individual to go out and "buy" experience. I was fortunate in being able to work with some of the best fire investigators in the state of Alabama when I got my start. Class room yes! On the job, most definitely!

Permalink Reply by Jeff Allen on November 30, 2010 at 12:23pm

I believe that both apply. You must get some classroom training but that is useless without practical experience. The ideal situation would be to have a stepped program where a new investigator has to accomplish certain things and be on the 'job' for so many years before he/she is authorized/recognized as a true investigator. The biggest problem is that there are many out there teaching a pile of classes both for public agencies and private money making companies, that are passing along their personal theories yet I haven't seen many of them at a recognized training conference in years. You need to make sure you get a good instructor with up to date knowledge, and shadow an investigator who has taken classes from recent conferences. Lots of experts out there making a ton of money off of the fire service who need to be put out to pasture. Good luck and be safe.