Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve Davis on May 9, 2011 at 12:31pm

I have never heard of a volunteer fire investigator in the Maryland area. All the investigators I am aware of are either in the state or local fire marshal's office.

Permalink Reply by Mark Stigers on May 9, 2011 at 3:28pm

It has been my experience that volunteer firefighters are more cause and origin investigators. Usually they do not have the level of training, certification or resources to do a full investigation. They do a good job securing the scene and getting the basic information going before another investigator arrives. Hopefully that investigator will let them tag along to get more experience.

Permalink Reply by Gilles Dionne on May 9, 2011 at 6:04pm

Here in québe, Canada, Volunteer recived 45 hours cours to be investigator. but if we think it's creminal or if there is ded person, we have too transfer to the police.

Gilles

Permalink Reply by Russ on May 9, 2011 at 8:38pm

thank you all for your replys (i'm trying to come up with interesting subjects for the group)

Permalink Reply by Bob on May 11, 2011 at 5:59am

Here In the NSW Rural Fire Service , In Australia,

Volunteers that wish to become a Investigator must undertake the Wildfire Investigators Course which is a Nationally Accredited course. then if they wish to undertake structural fire investigations they must under take the structural fire investigators course ,

in my brigade we have 2 Wildfire investigators and in our fire District we have 1 structural fire investigator

Permalink Reply by Daniel Timm on May 21, 2011 at 3:04pm

I am part of an all volunteer cause and origin investigation team that acts under the mutual aid agreement for the entire county. If asked we will work outside our county. We require applicants to pass a criminal background check, have at least 2 years of service at the firefighter level in a sponsoring department. At that point they become Techs in our organization and are required to enrole in the next State certified 921 fire investigators class to become a participating fire investigator. I have held the certification of Fire investigator I since 1993 and have been involved with the investigation of in excess of 300 fires in our county over those years. The only thing that is different between our investigators and those of the State Fire Marshalls office is powers of enforcement.
Daniel Timm
Fire Investigator for Porter County
State of Indiana

Permalink Reply by Richard Embrey on August 9, 2011 at 1:24pm

Here in Wyoming, all volunteer fire department investigators are trained Orign and Cause Technicians. We train them using NFA's Arson Detection for the First Responder course and supplement that course with an introduction to NFPA 921 and 1033. This does two things for us. It gives them lattitude to determine a routine origin and cause fire and the knowledge to determine whether or not they have a fire scene of a suspicious nature. There are only five of us throughout the state and we have to travel between four to eight hours to a fire scene. Trining volunteer firefighters in origin and cause investigation has been a great asset.

Permalink Reply by Dennis Reynolds on August 17, 2011 at 9:50pm

We use either, a combination of both, and sometimes at the same time on the same scene. We have a strong bond with our local volunteer departments and this is because they are held to the same standard. They also have proven themselves to be professionals, regardless of who signs their checks.

Our fire investigators receive the same training and the same subsequent treatment. They have all received their IFSAC Fire Investigator Certification before participating in fire investigation.

D

Permalink Reply by Dennis Reynolds on August 17, 2011 at 9:53pm

One more thing, I have also found that it is easier to work with our volunteer counterparts. There is no "overtime" questions or labor contract negotiations. Most of them just want to be part of it all.

After all, isn't that why most of us started in this business.

Just my $.02
D