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.

Rod Ammon: Welcome to the CFITrainer.Net podcast. We open this episode with a quick update on the Australian bushfire season. As of the date this podcast was recorded, even though there have been recent heavy rains and cooler weather, more than 100 fires are still burning in Australia, principally in coastal New South Wales and Victoria. In addition, the area is now enduring massive dust storms, flash flooding, and golf ball sized hail. The forecast calls for fire danger to escalate in the coming weeks as drier weather moves in and temperatures rise. As of January 20, 2020 it is estimated that during the bushfire season, at least 28 people have been killed, 25.7 million acres have been burned, and 2,600 homes have been destroyed. IAAI continues to support the Australian Fire Service and asks you to join them by donating to the Australian Red Cross relief effort. You will find a link on this podcast page.

As we mentioned last month, our podcasts in 2020 will have a technology theme, and our first feature is a wild one. At this year's IAAI International Training Conference, which runs April 26 through May 1 in Las Vegas, there will be a seminar on how spoofing and masking technologies were used to frame an innocent mother and perpetrate an arson fraud. The course is presented by Shane Otto and Zach McCune. Mr. McCune, a partner in Rolfe’s Henry's Cincinnati office, and one of only a few attorneys to hold the IAAI-CFI certification, is with us today to preview this course and talk a little bit about the role of technology in the case. Zach, welcome to the podcast.

Zach McCune: Thanks for having me.

Rod Ammon: First, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and the expertise you've developed in the role of technology in fire investigation?

Zach McCune: Sure. So I am a partner in Rolfe’s Henry's Cincinnati office, and I've been with them for about 12 years now, and the one area of focus that I've had throughout the course of my practice, in addition to doing insurance fraud investigations with a heavy emphasis on fire and arson cases, is developing an expertise in cell phone and other technology-related matters.

So in terms of our firm, we assist insurance companies on fraud investigations all throughout the country. Then we also do a lot of fire science litigation all throughout the country. And one of the things that has developed in that area is from cell phone and computer technology, things that range from the Sellbrite technologies to cell phone tower data analysis, computer forensics, and kind of the interplay and the way that has been increasingly used in fraud over about the past 15 years. So I, within our firm, am kind of the go-to person in terms of that technology and the way that it might interact with a given case, and then utilizing different experts to help identify the different types of arsons or other fire science cases where something like that could come up.

Rod Ammon: I'm sure that your firm, as well as your clients, are thrilled that you carry this knowledge. So how did you become involved in this case?

Zach McCune: So this was a case that we assisted all state insurance with. So Shane Otto, who will be co-presenting with me, will be able to speak to more of the insurance side of how this works, but very early on, in certain arson cases, when an insurance company is involved, oftentimes our firm is the first call. So this was a fire where we got a call at some point during the first week after the fire, and the initial role that we were going to be playing, which drastically expanded, was just in terms of getting cell phone tower data records. So with a lot of arsons, one of the first steps from the insurance company's perspective is to get in motion a process where they can get different individuals' cell phone tower data records to attempt to look at locations, communications with witnesses near the time of the actual fire, but a lot of times at other relevant times in their investigation too. So on this claim, it actually started from that kind of discrete function and then drastically grew based upon some of the information that came up early in the investigation.

Rod Ammon: Set the scene for us. What are the basic facts of the case?

Zach McCune: Okay. So you have an arson fire that happens at a house in a rural community outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. The insured represents to the insurance company that he is staying at a hotel multiple hours away from the loss location, and almost immediately, one of the things that's very interesting about this fire is that surveillance on a residential fire has survived the fire. That's somewhat unique. Typically on a residential fire, it will burn up, and you won't have anything left in terms of a significant chunk of surveillance to look at. But here, for a very specific reason, it survived the fire, and the insured immediately started blaming the mother of one of his children as having committed the fire, and then pointing out all of these distinct characteristics of the person who was on the surveillance and basically representing that was the mother of one of his kids, and, "She's responsible for this. Lock her up for a long time. My insurance claim is legitimate."

So that set off the stage of, he has represented he has an alibi hours away, so cell phone tower data is relevant for that purpose. The mother obviously was located at a particular location the night of the fire, so we wanted to look at her cell phone tower data, and then it kind of took off from there. And one of the things that we hope will be helpful with this presentation is in addition to discussions of all of the technology that was involved in the spoofing and framing this particular woman was the communications via what are called immunity requests with law enforcement, that helped the investigation develop. We had a very good working relationship with law enforcement, and responding to their immunity requests, and the investigation grew and grew once information became available throughout that process. But again, it started with fire, rural area, insured is hours away, blames the ex, and then it took off from there.

Rod Ammon: Yeah. I was going to ask you to not give away too much and sort of tease what's going on, because we don't want to take away the seminar's thunder, but you seem to have set that up very well. Any other technologies that were used to frame someone else for the arson that you might want to talk about yet, or no?

Zach McCune: Without giving away too much and without giving away the order in which they were discovered, we will end up touching upon programs like TelTech and SpoofCard that can be used to fake cell phone communications. We will have heavy emphasis on fake social media accounts, including fake Facebook accounts, fake Google accounts, VPN communications, and the way that they can be used to fake communications, more traditional methods of faking or concealing what you're doing, fake debit cards. We had wigs, masks that were created based upon facial recognition technology, fake clothing.

And then in addition to identifying those, and kind of the order in which they came into play in this given case, we'll also talk about the difficulties or challenges that are sometimes faced in a civil investigation versus a criminal investigation, in terms of how you approach these technology groups to attempt to get information from them. So we'll go through what it's like to subpoena Google and Facebook and some of the bigger quote-unquote "big tech" companies in the civil context, when you're investigating insurance fraud, but there's obviously a potential criminal component to that if there is an arson that's the underlying event that triggered that.

And then some of the other companies, like the companies that make these masks, that can create wigs. I think we probably subpoenaed, I don't know, six or seven of the largest cell phone companies in the world, so what it's like to repeatedly come to them for their information, so we'll kind of go through the plethora of that. So those are main topic areas, without giving away too much of what actually happened in this given case,

Rod Ammon: You must have done this just right, because my head's burning. There's so much I want to hear from you. You talked a lot about all different kinds of technologies that were used, services that were used, the social media. What about, are you going to talk a little bit about technologies that were used as investigative tools?

Zach McCune: Yeah. We will jump into, in this case, and one of the things that I hope is also interesting for the audience is, what I would, say the panel of experts who were used in this case. So we had forensic accountants, we had computer experts, we had cell phone experts, we had cell phone tower data experts, which is different from the physical phone, the analysis of how phones are communicating with towers. We had fire origin and cause investigators. We had origin cause investigators who were doing fire debris sift analysis. So you had a whole wide range of them, and all of the expertise that they bring, and then their interaction with some of this technology, we use Sellbrite downloads on some of the phones, Oxygen downloads on some of the phones, and then there was the more traditional gathering of social media evidence, and how you investigate fake social media accounts, fake communications that one way or another would go through a cell phone. So the presentation will hit on all of that. The investigation involved all of that.

Rod Ammon: You know, you're on the same page as us, and you and I haven't met before and I'm sitting here going through some of my questions, and you went right into developing a team of expertise, so thank you for that, because that has often been an issue, whether it's a small or a large department or agency that's working into something. "How do you develop that team?"

So I guess one of the things that I do want to still get out of you is, as you're looking at a case like this, and as you did with this case or some other, what's the light bulb? What's the switch that makes you say, "Why do I need help?" How did you know you needed to reach out? And where can people reach out to get something like this started?

Zach McCune: Sure. Well, it obviously doesn't just happen, in this one case. Over years and years and years, our firm has developed relationships with different experts who are kind of go-to people in given areas. And then you look at whether you want someone close geographically to you, and we have a network of experts that we would use there, or whether you go somewhere national and pull someone in, and then it's a very fact-specific case by case basis of once a new item of evidence comes up, who the best person is to analyze that, get you back results quickly, work well with the other experts, and compliment what they do.

Just an example, a very odd pairing of experts that actually turned out to be incredibly interesting in this case, on some level pairing an analysis from a fire debris sift expert in comparison to a forensic accountant to essentially arrive at the same results, was just one of the ways that we paired that. So it's very fact specific, and as each individual item of evidence comes up, there's a very quick call that goes out to someone, and they're on to assist you throughout the rest of the case.

Rod Ammon: You bring up a couple of good points there, obviously. You know the one that we've talked about with so many different experts who do this well is building these relationships early. Not exchanging the business card, as they say, for the first time at the scene. And that's nice to hear. There's a lot going on here. How long is this class? What's the session like?

Zach McCune: This presentation, I believe we're slotted for four hours, which seems long, but with the facts of this case, I think people will kind of be on their toes. That's actually a somewhat brief period of time to hit on all of the topics that came up in this case. So I think it will be very, very interesting. People will be engaged throughout, and the way that the presentation is set up, because it's in many ways the exact same way that the investigation developed, so again, we got that initial call just about doing cell phone tower data analysis, and then ended up in a case that lasted two and a half to three years, unbelievably long court filings that related to the events underlying the case.

So it kind of builds on itself, on some level, a little bit like a mystery that's being solved, especially when that way that the investigation developed, and it's the same way that the presentation is given. And it helps to explain identifying these issues with technology, how you go about investigating them, how you use your panel of experts, how you tie it in to the greater case or investigation that's going on, and then how you reach your end conclusion. So I think it fits well in that four-hour gap. It gives people enough time to sink their teeth into what was going on, to help identify some of this themselves. Some of the technology are things that the audience will kind of get a chance to watch themselves first and attempt to spot issues themselves, and then we'll come back to how it played into the overall investigation on how everything kind of tied together.

Rod Ammon: You know, it's interesting. Usually when people tell me how long a class is, I go like, "Wow, that's a lot. That's a lot of time." And in this case, when you said four hours, I was thinking a day or two. It sounds like a jam packed four hours to me.

Zach McCune: It absolutely is. It's tough to pare it down to a timeframe that's shorter than that. You could absolutely go longer delving into a lot of these individual topics, some of them, and more details of the case, but four hours is a pretty nice chunk of time, especially in one of these seminars, for hitting on all of these technology issues, telling the story of this case, and it'll make for a nice presentation segment.

Rod Ammon: And that's one of the beauties of being at ITC. Those people, after they get done with this, they're going to chase you to either the bar or the restaurant and try to get more. What have I missed?

Zach McCune: Not much, because I wouldn't want to, in a preliminary podcast segment, give away too much of what occurred here. I think when we've been able to hit on basic facts of the case, people maybe have a little sense of where it's going, and then the different types of technology that we'll be talking about throughout the case. So we basically got it.

Rod Ammon: Well, I feel the same way about being teased, because I'm looking forward to seeing it, and I think people have a lot to unpack from just what we've heard you tell us today. I appreciate you joining us, and all of you out there, you could check out this seminar and more than two dozen other ITC courses at iaaiitc.com. The early bird registration discount ends on February 1. Zach, thanks a lot for your time. I really appreciate it.

Zach McCune: Thank you so much.

Rod Ammon: We'll see you out there.

Zach McCune: Okay, thanks. Bye.

Rod Ammon: Here's a quick news item out of New Jersey that further illustrates the importance of technology and electronic evidence in fire investigation. On January 12, a fire destroyed several buildings in downtown Bound Brook, New Jersey. Initially the investigation was expected to last months, due to the devastation of the fire. However, only two days after the fire, law enforcement had a suspect in custody. Among the evidence investigators quickly uncovered were social media posts threatening to start a fire, allegedly made by the arsonist, and footage from multiple surveillance cameras that allowed them to track the suspect, who was wearing a distinctive shirt design, as he moved through the downtown area an hour or so before the fire began. He was seen on video entering and exiting a liquor store, then walking toward an apartment complex with something in his hand, and returning by the same path, moments later, just two minutes before the massive fire began. The suspect has been charged with arson and hindering an investigation. Dozens of people were displaced by the fire, which caused $52 million in damage.

We also have a new training opportunity to share with you. This month, CFITrainer.Net debuted a new online learning module, Introduction to Appliances. This module is a basic introduction to how many major appliances operate, covering components, explaining operation and heat generation, and describing common safety and thermal protection devices. It's a good foundation for further study in appliances as potential fire causes. The module includes applied examples and 3D animation. Check it out and earn your certificate of completion today.

This podcast and CFITrainer.Net are made possible by funding from a fire prevention and safety grant from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program administered by FEMA and the US Department of Homeland Security. There's also support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and voluntary online donations from CFITrainer.Net users and podcast listeners.

Thanks for joining us today on the podcast. Stay safe out there. We'll see you next time. For the International Association of Arson Investigators and CFITrainer.Net, I'm Rod Ammon.

2024
IAAI Investigator of the Year Case Study - This month, the CFITrainer.Net podcast welcomes Captain Chase Hawthorne of the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal to talk about the bizarre case that won him the 2023 IAAI Investigator of the Year Award.
NEWS ROUNDUP: March 2024 - News Roundup - March 2024
Discussing Mentorship from Both the Mentor and Mentee Perspectives with Steve Avato - We discuss mentorship, from both the mentor and mentee perspectives, with Steve Avato, retired ATF Supervisory Special Agent CFI and Fire Marshal Captain with the Loudoun County Virginia Fire Marshal’s Office.
A CONVERSATION WITH SPECIAL AGENT ADAM ST. JOHN AND CAPTAIN CRAIG MATTHEWS - Today, we’re taking a deep dive into fires where the ignition was associated with CSST — that’s corrugated stainless steel tubing.
Laboratory Analysis of Fatty Acids, Oils, and Alcohols with Laurel Mason and Doug Byron - Today, we’re talking about using a lab in your investigations. More specifically, we are going to talk to two experienced forensic scientists about analysis of fatty acids, oils, and alcohols.
The Role of Metallurgical and Materials Science in Fire Origin and Cause Determination. - We’ve got something new and pretty interesting for you today — a closer look at the role of metallurgical and materials science in fire origin and cause determination. Our guide into this world is Larry Hanke.
What's new at the National Fire Academy - A conversation with Kevin Oliver on what’s new at the National Fire Academy.
2022 IAAI Investigator of the Year - Today we're talking with Fire Arson Investigator Nicole Brewer of Portland Fire and Rescue in Oregon. Investigator Brewer was named the IAAI Investigator of the Year in 2022
Multi Unit Multi Fatality Fires - This month, we’re tackling a tough topic on the CFITrainer.Net podcast.
NFPA 1321 is coming in 2023. Are you ready? December 2022 - In 2023, NFPA will release a new standard, NFPA 1321: Standard for Fire Investigation Units. We preview this standard on the newest episode of the CFITrainer.Net podcast.
Spoliation: What You Don't Know Can Jeopardize Your Investigation November 2022 - Attorney Chris Konzelmann Discusses Lessons Learned from Recent Litigation
The Internet of Things: September 2022 - Welcome to the CFITrainer.Net podcast. Today, we're talking about the Internet of Things. You're going to learn what that is and why it's an important investigative tool you might not be using.
News Roundup: July 2022 - This month on a new episode of the CFITrainer.Net podcast, we’re talking about fascinating news that’s crossed our feed recently.
June 2022 - On this month’s CFITrainer.Net podcast, we're going to get into an issue that seems to be increasing in regularity, and that's warehouse fires.
Fire Investigator Health and Safety: March 2022 - This month on a new episode of the CFITrainer.Net podcast, Dr. Gavin Horn, Research Engineer at UL's Fire Safety Research Institute, and Jeff Pauley, Chair of the IAAI’s Health & Safety Committee, discuss the latest research on fire investigator health and safety.
NFPA 1321: New NFPA Standard Affecting Fire Investigation Units: January 2022 - On this month’s CFITrainer.Net podcast, we talk with Randy Watson, chair of the technical committee for NFPA 1321: Standard for Fire Investigation Units.
December 2021 - On this month’s CFITrainer.Net podcast, we look back at 2021 and how CFITrainer.Net evolved to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and rapidly changing technology.
October 2021 - Welcome to the CFITrainer.Net Podcast. It's been a while since we've done a news round up so today we're covering some new research and fire investigation cases.
Fire as a Cover for Murders and Gender Reveal Fires: September 2021 - This episode we talk to Texas Ranger Sergeant Drew Pilkington about incendiary fires as a cover for murder and we discuss a tragic quadruple domestic violence homicide.
May 2021 - As part of National Arson Awareness Week, CFITrainer.Net has a new podcast exploring the week's theme, "Arson During Civil Unrest."
December 2020 - On this podcast we talk to Bobby Schaal about the new Fire Investigation for Fire Officer certificate and then we offer a brief update on an investigation in Stowe, Vermont.
August 2020 - This month we talk to a legend in the fire investigation field, Dr. Quintiere, sometimes known as Dr. Q. He has a rich experience in the fire service dating back to the 70’s, and he is working on fire in micro-gravity today.
July 2020 - July '20 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this new episode of the CFITrainer.Net podcast, Scott Bennett, talks about the fascinating case he and Mark Shockman worked that won them the IAAI Investigator of the Year Award. You won't want to miss our conversation. And, new IAAI President Rick Jones stops by to discuss what he is excited about for IAAI's growth this coming year — there are a lot of innovative and valuable initiatives on the way.
June 2020 - June '20 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this month's podcast we interview Doug Byron, President and Senior Forensic Chemist from the FAST lab about fats and oils and spontaneous combustion, and how they are involved in fire investigation. After our interview with Doug, we offer some thoughts on your job and the COVID-19 situation.
May 2020 - May '20 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. Join us this month for a new podcast where we talk briefly about online learning that is available and then we speak with Dr. Peter Mansi, Past President of the IAAI.
April 2020 - April '20 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month on the Podcast we interview President Barry M. Grimm from the IAAI and talk to Wayne Miller, Author of "Burn Boston Burn -The largest arson case in the history of the country.
March 2020 - March '20 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month on the Podcast we talk about some resources for COVID, updates from the IAAI and talk with a fire Marshall in New Hampshire about challenges in their region related to Sober Homes.
February 2020 - February '20 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast follows along with our technology theme. We look at social media’s effect on some fire investigations and then we talk with Mike Parker about his work with social media while at the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
December 2019 - December '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In under ten minutes this podcast offers a review of 2019 milestones and new content and features that you might have missed. We also give you a quick preview of what to expect in 2020.
November 2019 Podcast - November '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we learn about two new technology solutions being studied for fire investigation and then we visit with Lester Rich from the National Fire Academy
October 2019 Podcast - October '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this podcast episode, we’re back for the second part of the CCAI live burn training event — the actual burn and post-fire.
September 2019 Podcast - September '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we travel to San Luis Obispo where we were hosted by the California chapter of the IAAI (CCAI). We had a rare opportunity to experience what it’s like to set up this training and experience a wildland burn in California. There was a lot to learn!
August 2019 Podcast - August '19 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month's CFITrainer.Net podcast is under 15 minutes and offers information about fires in electric vehicles and what you need to know.
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.
November 2018 Podcast - November '18 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we talk with Jeff Pauley from the IAAI’s Health and Safety Committee. Jeff is an IAAI-CFI and the Chairman of the Health and Safety Committee. In this podcast, he talks about ways to reduce exposure to carcinogens related to fire investigation. By listening, you will learn about ways to reduce your risks, learn about new resources that are available to assist you, and research that is coming soon.
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.
September 2018 News Roundup - September '18 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts.
Short stories related to fire investigation - June '18 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. Join us for a brief Podcast that includes five minutes of short stories related to fire investigation.
What you need to know about Arson Awareness week - April '18 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we welcome Tonya Hoover, the Superintendent of the National Fire Academy. Superintendent Hoover came to the NFA with more than 20 years of experience in local and state government, most recently as the California State Fire Marshal.
Growing pot and earning Bitcoin can start fires? - March '18 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this month’s podcast, hear a story about how the Bitcoin business might be causing fires? What similarities are there between Pot growers and now Bitcoin miners?
Training related to wildland fire investigation - February '18 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast highlights new training related to wildland fire investigation featuring an interview with Paul Way, and this year’s International Training Conference. We also have a pretty wild story before we wrap up. Birds starting fires?
Smart homes and digital data gathering issues - December '17 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this podcast, we discuss two topics on the technology and forensics cutting edge. Michael Custer of Kilgore Engineering, Inc. and retired Special Agent Tully Kessler share some knowledge and give us a taste of the classes that they will be presenting at ITC 2018.
Discussion with Writer Monica Hesse - September '17 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In this podcast, you will hear some great news related to the IAAI and CFITrainer.Net and then we have an interview with Monica Hesse, the writer of a new book called "American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land."
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.
An interview with Dr. James Quintiere - December '16 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. In a discussion with Dr. James Quintiere, we learn about some of his work in fire sciences, a bit about his research, his opinions related to the World Trade Center investigation and what he thinks is important to fire investigation as a scholarly leader in our field.
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".
August 2016 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - August '16 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month we talk to Jessica Gotthold about the Seaside Heights fire in NJ from 2013
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.
January 2009 CFITrainer.Net Podcast - January '09 IAAI & CFITrainer Fire Investigator Podcasts. This month’s podcast focuses on the deepening financial crisis in the US and arson for profit fires, how going green may pose a fire hazard and see how rope lighting may be a source of ignition, and IAAI’s Expert Witness Courtroom Testimony course.
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.