Live Event - Fire Investigator Risks, PPE, Health, Wellness and Resiliency 11.19.2026
Credit Hours:
1
Please join us for a virtual session with our IAAI Health and Safety Committee Co-Chair Mike Brewer for a discussion about the health risks Fire Investigator’s face on every investigation and what we can do to minimize those risks. He will also discuss mental health and wellness and how to improve our resiliency to the challenges of the job and daily life.
If you cannot attend this event live, it will be recorded and available for viewing at a later date.
Panelists
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Michael Brewer
Mike Brewer is a Fire Captain and Paramedic with the Mesa Fire and Medical Department and an IAAI Certified Fire Investigator, bringing more than 30 years of cumulative fire service experience. His career includes structural and wildland firefighting, emergency medical response, fire investigation, incident safety, and organizational leadership.
Mike earned his bachelor’s degree cum laude in Fire Service Administration, with an emphasis in Fire Investigations, from Columbia Southern University. His professional certifications include Arizona Fire Inspector II, Arizona Fire Instructor II, NWCG Wildland Engine Boss, Nationally Registered Paramedic, Arizona Paramedic, and IAAI Certified Fire Investigator.
A member of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) since 2010, Mike joined the IAAI Health and Safety Committee in 2014 and has served as co-chair since 2024. In this role, he helps develop educational materials, policies, and procedures focused on improving the health and safety of firefighters and fire investigators in the United States and internationally. He is also contributing to the fourth edition of the IAAI Health and Safety Committee’s white paper and is a strong advocate for risk reduction and PPE best practices within the fire investigation community.
Mike has served on United States Fire Administration working groups addressing behavioral health, psychological safety, fire service culture, organizational values, recruitment, and retention. He is also a contributing author to the peer-reviewed publication, Mental Health Disorders, Organizational Stigma, and Health Service Utilization Among U.S. Fire Investigators: A Cross-Sectional Survey.
Throughout his career, Mike has remained committed to advancing first responder health, safety, mental wellness, and resilience. He combines practical field experience with collaborative leadership and a genuine passion for teaching. Through his presentations, Mike helps fire service professionals recognize risks, reduce stigma, support one another, and build healthier, safer, and more resilient organizations.
