CFITrainer.Net Podcast

The IAAI and CFITrainer.Net present these podcasts with a focus on issues relating to fire investigation. With expertise from around the world, the International Association of Arson Investigators produces these podcasts to bring more information and electronic media to fire investigators looking for training, education and general information about fire investigation. Topics include recent technologies, issues in the news, training opportunities, changes in laws and standards and any other topic that might be of interest to a fire investigator or industry professional affected by fire. Information is presented using a combination of original stories and interviews with scientists, leaders in fire investigation from the fire service and the law enforcement community.

Welcome to the January 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast. In this edition, we’ll explore how the deepening financial crisis in the United States may affect the incidence of arson for profit fires. We’ll also learn about going green and how that may pose a fire hazard and see how rope lighting may be a source of ignition. We’ll also preview IAAI’s new course on Expert Witness Courtroom Testimony.

We’ll begin with the story dominating our news - the recession causing serious repercussions throughout the United States. The national unemployment rate has soared 7.2% and is closer to 10% in some states. Massive job cuts by major employers are being announced every day. Banks are in a federal bailout. U.S. home values, the biggest source of equity for most American families, are in freefall and for the third quarter of 2008, Zillow.Com reported that U.S. home values continued to slide for the seventh consecutive quarter, declining 9.7 percent from a year ago, and falling 12.8 percent since the market peak in 2006. Some areas, such as Southern California and Florida, have seen home values decline 20-30% in one year. Additionally, one-third of homes sold in the past 12 months sold for a loss, and 14.3 percent of all homeowners have negative equity. Will these harsh realities make arson-for-profit increasingly attractive to desperate property owners?

With us today to discuss that question is Joseph Toscano, a certified fire investigator with more than 30 years experience, a former member of the NFPA 921 Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Insurance Committee for Arson Control.

Interviewer: How are you doing Joe?

Joseph Toscano: Very well thank you.

Interviewer: Good to have you with us. I will jump right in and ask what does a typical arson for profit scheme look like?

Joseph Toscano: There really isn’t a typical scheme. Desperate times cause people to take desperate measures. The issues today are issues that I don’t think we’ve had to deal with, at least anyone in this business today had to deal with in their entire working careers. We have what amounts to the perfect storm occurring in most communities. We have people who are on the verge of losing their homes, and many who have already lost their homes. For those who are on the verge, that’s where the arson for profit issue is the strongest. Once a home is foreclosed, there is no longer an insurable interest and really no reason for anyone to commit an arson for profit. However, what occurs at that point is that these homes become vacant and accessible properties and they become targets for vandals, for kids in neighborhoods who are looking for something to do and find themselves inside a home that they have no right to be in, and from there we have problems. We have communities who are experiencing a lack of funding to fund more inspections of these properties, to fund investigative units, and so the perfect storm continues to where arson for profit is not just the problem, it’s arson as a result of these properties being vacant and accessible.

Interviewer: Is there a link between the mortgage crisis, economic downturn and the increase in arson for profit?

Joseph Toscano: Certainly there is. It’s a common sense link that when situations like this, again, as I said, that the desperation situations arise, that people are going weigh what their options are in terms of getting out from under the financial crisis, and arson is going to be one of those things that people are going to consider. Hopefully, because of the emphasis that’s been placed on arson, both in a public safety perspective as well as a prosecutorial perspective, that we have taken a much harder line with arsonists than 25 and 30 years ago, hopefully, people will weigh the risk of apprehension and not choose arson as a way out, but many do.

Interviewer: Understood. So if money may be the motive, what clues might an investigator find in the documentation? Where should he or she look?

Joseph Toscano: I used to tell investigators to always just follow the money, and I guess if you take that in the reverse, it’s follow where the money has gone. We always start with the insurance policy. If someone is committing arson for profit, many of the clues that an investigator will be looking for can be found in the documentation that exists in the insurance company. Understand that there are really two silos of information in the insurance industry. There is an underwriting file and a claims file. What we’re seeing now is we’re seeing properties that may have been purchased for $600,000 and insured for $600,000, which have now dropped in value to $450,000. Mortgages on these properties that may exceed the actual value of those properties right now. So you’re looking at an underwriting file that may tell you a bit about what that property was worth and what it was represented to be at the time of purchase. In the claims file there are a number of documents that are very important. One of those documents is called a proof of loss. In a proof of loss, a person, an insured, will represent all of the items that were damaged or destroyed as a result of the fire. Oftentimes in these documents people who are committing an arson for profit have a tendency to embellish the property that was damaged or destroyed as a result of the fire. It’s also important for an investigator to understand all of the documents that may be in a claims file and an underwriting file. I’m going to stick with the claims file for a couple of minutes. In a claims file you’ll have something called a notice of loss and essentially it’s what an insured represents to the insurance carrier occurred to trigger the insurance policy to take effect. In other words, we’ve had a loss, there’s been a fire, I have an insurance policy that covers that fire and I’m going to be making a claim against that policy. Oftentimes in that notice of loss will be representations that that person makes about what happened and what they know about what happened and what caused that incident. It’s important because people who have committed arson for profit have had a very difficult time giving consistent information to the different entities that will be investigating that loss. What I mean by that is they may give different information to an insurance investigator and different information to a fire investigator from a local jurisdiction, different information to an investigator from a state police agency, and again, if you compare this information oftentimes you find very strong inconsistencies. Another document in the claims file that’s very valuable in the investigative process is called an examination under oath, and that’s when an insured under oath gives a dissertation as to what happened on the evening or the day of the event and what their knowledge is of certain happenings on that day and things that led up to and followed the incident. In other words, it’s a sworn statement given to the insurance industry and oftentimes, again, it contains inconsistent information. So the bottom line here is that it’s very, very important for the public safety investigators to understand what kind of information exists inside both the claims and underwriting file and how they can access that information and what to look for once they get it.

Interviewer: So what are the key points of cooperation with the mortgage holding institution and the insurance company? What do you want to know and how can you get access to that information?

Joseph Toscano: Well that’s an excellent question. In fact, it’s one of the biggest problems today in many cities is that it’s very difficult to find out who is holding a mortgage on a particular property. That kind of information is generally not listed in the files at City Hall in terms of ownership of a property. And in fact, when many of these mortgages were attained by the homeowners, they were quickly sold by the originating bank and it’s very difficult to follow where that mortgage went. So there really is no direct nexus between many of these mortgage companies and the insurance industry. That area of communication is lacking, and what has been happening is as these properties fall into foreclosure and become vacant it’s very difficult for municipalities to determine who is responsible for the property at that point, and so assessing penalties or holding people responsible to secure these properties and maintain the property until they’re sold again is near difficult, and in fact, it’s nearly impossible. That creates a serious problem as well to investigators who, if there is a fire in these properties, to determine who may have an insurable interest, and again, who the responsible parties are for the property.

Interviewer: So what do we do? So what do we do? I’ve heard you talk about prevention and preparation, planning with different cities.

Joseph Toscano: If we create legislation locally, statewide or even nationally that says if you are going to assume a mortgage, if the mortgage is going to be sold, that that kind of information should be registered at the local jurisdiction so that in the event there’s a foreclosure, in the event there’s a problem with the property, in the event there’s a fire, that kind of information in terms of who holds the mortgage and the history of ownership and transfer of that property will be on file, and if the property does become vacant, there would be somebody accountable for maintaining that property, for securing that property and from preventing the kinds of situations that are occurring today.

Thanks a lot for your time Joe. We really appreciate you taking your time to work with us here at CFITrainer.Net to do these podcasts, to get in touch with the folks who have the experience that you do and communicate it to all the fire investigators that log on with us each day. Well, let’s move on.

Going green is the trend that’s sweeping the nation. One of the first steps suggested to consumers is switching from incandescent to fluorescent bulbs to save energy and money. Electronic dimmer switches can also save energy. But, many consumers are not aware that these two energy-saving measures don’t always mix: Not all fluorescent bulbs can be used with dimmer switches. Dimmer switches work by turning the bulb on and off faster than your eye can perceive. The action causes problems with many of the CFL bulbs. When the dimmer is in the lowered position, the non-dimmable CFL will continue to try to light, which can cause the ballast to overheat and possibly catch fire. In at least one documented case in Cumberland, MD, a CFL-dimmer combination was determined to be the cause of a devastating house fire.

Some CFL bulbs do work with dimmers, but many consumers are not aware that they need to purchase a special bulb rated for dimmers. In fact, different CFL bulbs are designed for different uses. Consumers often do not read the fine print on the box to determine what application the CFL is suitable for. Therefore, fire investigators should be aware that CFL bulbs, despite their "cool touch," can be the cause of fire when they are not used as intended. Thorough investigation of any CFL bulb in the area of origin should be part of the investigator’s standard protocol.

Due to its flexibility and ease of installation, rope lighting has become very popular for landscaping and interior design use. The October 2008 issue of Fire and Arson Investigator included an examination of rope lighting as a source of ignition. The article dispels the notion that rope lights are simply a string of .5 watt light bulbs that could never overheat. Instead, the authors argue that rope lights should be treated as a "heat tape" that dissipates heat at a particular watt density and also emits photons. Therefore, rope lights should be subject to the same cautions as heat tapes. The article identifies a serious potential issue with rope lighting: the practice of coiling up unused length and stashing it in ways that can trap heat, especially when under insulation. The authors have also seen, through experience, that installers may be unfamiliar with the UL requirements, that installers may use a longer light length than required, that older product that does not meet current standards is still being sold and installed, and that distributors continue to sell splicing kits even though UL and the manufacturer prohibit them. The authors also conducted tests that demonstrate how improperly installed rope lights can cause fires. The full findings of this rope lighting research can be found in the October 2008 issue of Fire and Arson Investigator.

We end our podcast today with a few reminders of upcoming IAAI training opportunities.

  • "Investigations of Electronic & Appliance Related Fires, A Scientific Approach" will be held Tuesday February 17, 2009 through Thursday February 19, 2009 in Glen Cove, New York. This session covers topics such as appliance fire investigation in the legal arena; electrical heat generation mechanisms; design, construction and maintenance of appliances; and forensic examination in fire investigation.
  • "Effective Investigation and Testimony" will be held Tuesday February 24, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona. Topics will include protecting an investigation from spoliation, improper methodology, and alternatives theories; the latest scientific and legal challenges to fire scene investigations; the skills needed to be an effective expert witness; and how to present demonstrative evidence.
  • The IAAI Training Conference will also be held in May, it’s May 17th to the 23rd, 2009 in Arlington Texas. Early registration offers the advantage of a discounted registration fee and an opportunity to get lodging in the host hotel, the Sheraton Arlington.

For more information and registration forms, call the IAAI office at 1-800-468-4224 or visit www.firearson.com and select "Training Calendar."

That’s all for this month’s IAAI podcast. Have a good day.

2024
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May 2019 Podcast - May '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this month's CFITrainer.Net podcast, you'll hear from ATF Special Agent Chad Campanell, who will discuss how ATF can assist state and local fire investigators with training and investigations, ATF resources available to fire investigators, and ATF's support of CFITrainer.Net. Also, we summarize the final report of a multi-fatality fire at a senior living community in Pennsylvania, where ATF cooperated with state and local investigators to reach conclusions.
April 2019 Podcast - April '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. There are two new additions to CFITrainer.Net! A new podcast with Dan Madrzykowski from UL speaking about ventilation and Fire Flow, and a new module called “Fire Flow Analysis”.
March 2019 Podcast - March '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast includes updates from the IAAI related to the election, the upcoming ITC, and a new website specifically about evidence collection. After the updates, you will also hear some news stories related to fire investigation.
February 2019 Podcast - February '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month take 10 mins and hear some fire investigation and IAAI news.
January 2019 Podcast - January '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we’re looking back on some of the biggest issues in fire investigation in 2018.
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October 2018 Podcast - October '18 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month meet and learn about IAAI’s new Executive Director, Scott Stephens and plans for the future. After that interview, hear some wild stories from the national news related to fire investigation.
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Discussion with Criminalist- John DeHaan - June '17 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month on the CFITrainer.Net podcast, we talk to Criminalist, fire investigation expert and Author of "Kirk’s Fire Investigation", John DeHaan.
The Ghost Ship - May '17 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. For this podcast, we hear from a retired Captain of the Long Beach Fire Department, Pat Wills. Pat has been in the fire service for 37 years. He has been a leader and an investigator, now he is an educator speaking around the country about the importance of code enforcement.
Fast Podcast about ITC! - March '17 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we talk to David Bridges about what to expect at ITC and the training you won’t want to miss.
CFITrainer Podcast- A profile with an IAAI-CFI® - February '17 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. Join us this month for our podcast as we interview IAAI member and CFI, Jeff Spaulding from Middletown, Ohio. Jeff talks about his work in both the public and private sector and then he shares an interesting story about how a pacemaker is helping in an investigation.
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Fire Investigation After the Flood Podcast - November '16 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we talk to Dan Hebert, an IAAI, CFI about "How Floods affect Fire Investigation."
September 2016 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - September '16 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we talk about the recent changes in the FAA's regulations for commercial and public sector use of UAS or "Drones".
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July 2016 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - July '16 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we talk to Fire Marshall, Ken Helms of the Enid, OK. Fire Department about his team winning the Fire Investigator of the Year award.
March 2016 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - March '16 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's fire investigation podcast from the IAAI's CFITrainer.Net focuses on the Youth Firesetting Information Repository and Evaluation System, which is called YFIRES for short.
February 2016 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - February '16 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's fire investigation podcast from the IAAI's CFITrainer.Net focuses on what you need to do to ensure the integrity of samples sent to the lab. A conversation with Laurel Mason of Analytical Forensic Associates.
September 2015 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - September '15 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. Our podcast related to the legalization of recreational marijuana and its effect on fire investigation was one of the most popular podcasts ever on CFITrainer.Net. This month’s podcast is a follow up with one of our listeners from California who is an investigator doing training on this very topic.
August 2015 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - August '15 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast is about NFIRS where we interview the Executive Director of The National Association of State Fire Marshals Fire Research and Education Foundation, Jim Narva.
July 2015 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - July '15 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this special edition of podcast we’re going to meet the newest IAAI Investigator of the Year, Andrea Buchanan.
May 2015 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - May '15 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's Arson Investigator podcast from IAAI & CFITrainer interviews Jason McPherson from MSD Engineering to talk about some of these new technology tools.
April 2015 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - April '15 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's Arson Investigator podcast from IAAI & CFITrainer interviews Dave Perry, a lawyer in Colorado discussing what fire chiefs, fire investigators, and the legal system are seeing in a state with legalized cannabis in regard to fire cause involving marijuana.
February 2015 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - Feb '15 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's Arson Investigator podcast from IAAI & CFITrainer interviews Mike Schlatman and Steve Carman who are both successful fire investigators and now business owners who have transitioned from the public to the private sector.
December 2014 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - December '14 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast interviews Steve Avato from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives explaining the process of elimination and how it is a critical part of the scientific method.
June 2014 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - June '14 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast interviews the 2014 Investigator of the Year.
April 2014 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - April '14 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast interviews with Don Robinson, Special Agent in Charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Currently stationed at the National Center for Explosives Training and Research, located at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
January 2014 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - January '14 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast takes a look inside the process of revising NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033.
October 2013 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - October '13 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast focuses on the fire research work of Underwriters’ Laboratories, better known as UL.
February 2013 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - February '13 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we have an interview with George Codding who returned from a recent trip to Saipan and gives us a closer look at the international activities of the International Association of Arson Investigators
Mid Year 2012 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - Mid Year '12 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This podcast features a mid-year update on the IAAI’s new initiatives and ways for you to get more involved with the organization.
September 2012 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - September '12 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast features an in-depth look at the recent live-burn fire experiments exercise conducted on Governor’s Island, New York by the New York City Fire Department, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Underwriters Laboratory, and the Trust for Governor’s Island.
August 2012 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - August '12 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This is a special edition of the CFITrainer.Net podcast previewing the ITC 2013. There’s a new name for the Annual Training Conference from the IAAI now called the International Training conference.
April 2012 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - April '12 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast features an interview with Chief Ernest Mitchell, Jr., the US Fire Administrator. Also we will discuss the upcoming ATC, Annual Training Conference, from the IAAI about to happen in Dover, Delaware.
March 2012 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - March '12 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast features an interview with ATF Special Agent Billy Malagassi out of the Tulsa, OK Field Office about investigating fires in clandestine drug labs. We also report on NIST’s findings in the Charleston Sofa Super Store fire and IAAI’s Evidence Collection Practicum.
December 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - December '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast features one of the presenters from this year’s IAAI ATC and see how a single photo broke the Provo Tabernacle fire case.
October 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - October '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast features an interview with Deborah Nietch, the new Executive Director of IAAI.
July 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - July '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast features an interview with Tom Fee discussing details of investigating wildland fires.
June 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - June '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's podcast features a lot of exciting things that are happening at CFITrainer.Net
May 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - May '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month highlights the IAAI ATC in Las Vegas and the third installment in the "It Could Happen to You" series.
ATC 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - This podcast discusses the upcoming IAAI Annual Training Conference and National Arson Awareness Week.
April 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - April '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This podcast announces the release of the program, The First Responder’s Role in Fire Investigation, which teaches first responders how to make critical observations and take important scene preservation actions at a fire scene.
March 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - March '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features some of the instructors from the upcoming 2011 Annual Training Conference, to provide a preview of the courses they will be presenting.
February 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - February '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features an update on fire grants and an interview with Steve Austin
January 2011 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - January '11 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features the release of the new edition of Fire Investigator: Principles and Practice to NFPA 921 and 1033, new flammability requirements from UL for pre-lit artificial Christmas trees and a growing fire problem in Dubai with factories turned into worker dormitories.
December 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - December '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast focuses on home candle fires, lightning punctures in gas piping, and respiratory diseases in the fire services.
November 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - November '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features research findings for structural stability in engineered lumber by UL, the ban on antifreeze in residential sprinkler systems, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s investigation of Jeep Grand Cherokee fuel tanks.
October 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - October '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features high-profile fire cases, why people leave stovetop cooking unattended and how new sensors under development may improve fire research.
September 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - September '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features how to use the ATF’s Bomb Arson Tracking System, IAAI Foundation grants, electrical fires and indoor marijuana cultivation.
August 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - August '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast focuses on social media as a fire investigation tool, a potential problem with modular home glued ceilings and research from Underwriters Laboratories on the effects of ventilation on structure fires.
July 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - July '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast is a roundtable on some of the latest research and technical activities that impact fire investigation, featuring Daniel Madrzykowski (moderator), Steven Kerber, and Dr. Fred Mowrer.
June 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - June '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast discusses career advancement, budget cuts and their impact on fire investigation, and the 2010-2016 ATF Strategic Plan.
ATC 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - Follow-up and Interviews from Orlando. Learn about the conference, hear what attendees had to say.
May 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - May '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. The second in our safety series called "It Could Happen To You." Our Long-Term Exposure roundtable is moderated by Robert Schaal.
April 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - April '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. The first of our two-part safety series called "It Could Happen To You." Our roundtable is moderated by Robert Schaal.
March 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - March '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features a conversation about legislative affairs affecting the fire service with Bill Webb, Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Services Research Institute.
February 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - February '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features our interview with a commercial kitchen’s fire expert about what you need to know when you work a commercial kitchen fire.
January 2010 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - January '10 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features a look at preliminary research on corrosion caused by Chinese drywall, a new database focused on fires in historic buildings, a warning on blown-in insulation, and the launch of the new firearson.com web site.
December 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - December '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features cooking fires, highlights of the International Code Council’s Annual Meeting on code requirements, including requiring residential sprinkler systems, and an easy way to keep up with recalls from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
November 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - November '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features chimney fires, including recent news on surgical flash fires, a proposed national arsonist registry, lightning research and an innovation in personal protective equipment.
October 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - October '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast is devoted to Fire Prevention Week.
September 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - September '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features the relationship between climate conditions and fire risk, new research on formulating fireproof walls and the latest in IAAI news.
August 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - August '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month takes a look at the dangerous combination of summer heat and oily rags, the rise in vacant home fires, and preview research underway on Australia’s devastating "Black Saturday" brush fires.
July 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - July '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month features a look at outdoor grill fires, a fatal fire at a homeless camp in Southern NJ, new NIST research on human behavior during building fires, and IAAI news.
June 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - June '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features live reports from the 2009 IAAI Annual Training Conference held in May.
May 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - May '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This podcast is dedicated to National Arson Awareness Week.
April 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - April '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features the NFPA 921 chapter on marine fire investigations and the myth and reality of static electricity as a source of ignition.
March 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - March '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month focuses on the rise of the hybrid vehicle and what its unique engineering means for the investigation of vehicle fires, the rash of devastating arson fires in Coatesville, Pennsylvania from December 2008 to February 2009, and news from IAAI.
December 2008 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - December '08 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast features Christmas tree fires, changes to critical fire investigation publications, the weak economy’s impact on home fires, wind’s effect on structure fires, and ATC 2009.