Fire Investigation Association of Alberta (FIAA)

For anyone who registered & planned to attend the IAAI ITC in Atlantic City, NJ this year.

Congratulations to DC Babiuk on his retirement from the #DevonFireDeprtment! DC Babiuk has been a long-standing member of the FIAA, joining in 1988 in addition to serving the membership as a Director of the Board.

Early Bird Registration is now open!

Check out the final episode for Season 1 with #DanHeenan as he speaks about Occuptional Health & Safety Investigations on a Fire Scene. He speaks about his personal experience and the importance of not only having policies and procedures in place but, the importance of investigators following them. Listen on your favourite podcast platform today! #FireInvestigation... #OccupationalHealthAndSafety #TrainLikeYouFight See more

Wednesday Words. Marine Fire Investigations / Submerged Boats. Boats under the water or submerged should be inspected and photographically documented prior to r...ecovery, if possible. When it becomes necessary to conduct an investigation of a boat that has sunk, or is partially submerged, use qualified personnel to carry out the underwater observation and scene search. Recovery efforts should be managed in order to reduce disruption and alteration of the boat and its appurtenances prior to the commencement of topside or land-based investigation activities. Underwater operations may be monitored from the surface. Only qualified divers should conduct underwater investigations. NFPA 921, 2017 Ed. Sec. 30.3.5.11 See more

Wednesday Words - Fire Patterns. Holes in floors may be caused by glowing combustion, radiation, ignitible liquid, or effects of ventilation. The surface below ...a liquid remains cool, or at least below the boiling point of the liquid, until the liquid is consumed. Holes in the floor from burning ignitible liquids may result when the ignitible liquid has soaked into the floor or accumulated below the floor level. Evidence other than the hole or its shape is necessary to confirm the cause of a given pattern. NFPA 921, 2017 Ed. Sec. 6.3.3.2.5 See more

It’s that time of year again! Don’t forget to change your clocks back 1 hour tonight before going to bed! While you’re doing that, it’s also great practice to change the batteries in any of your smoke detectors and change the filters in your furnace! #FIAA #DaylightSavingsTime2020 #HappyHalloween2020

Wednesday Words: Certifications and Designations. One of the IAAI’s core activities is providing training, certifications, and designations to professionals who...se work involves fire investigation. The IAAI’s training and certification activities are overseen by the Training and Education Committee, which is charged with improving the professional development of fire and arson investigators worldwide through training and education in science and specialty disciplines required to conduct and administer a professional and ethical fire investigation. The IAAI’s certifications include: Certified Fire Investigator (IAAI-CFI), Fire Investigation Technician (IAAI-FIT), Motor Vehicle Fire Credential Endorsement, Evidence Collection Technician (IAAI-ECT), and the Certified Instructor (IAAI-CI). The IAAI-CFI certification is accredited by the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) and the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board (FSAB). For more information please visit: https://firearson.com//Certifications-Designa/Default.aspx See more

Wednesday Words: Shipping papers / shipping documents. Shipping papers are documents that can be used by investigators to learn about materials loaded aboard an...y type of transport vehicle. They provide vital information regarding the hazardous materials / dangerous goods aboard a vehicle. Commonly found information includes: 4-digit identification number (UN or NA); proper shipping name; hazard class or division number of material; packing group; emergency response telephone number; and information describing the hazards of the material. Source: US Department of Transportation. Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) 2020. See more

Wednesday Words: Motor Vehicle Examinations. The examination of a motor vehicle after it has burned is a complex and varied task. As with structure fires, the ...first step is to determine an area of origin. Motor vehicles can have five major areas: the exterior engine compartment, passenger compartment or interior, cargo compartment, and the underbody or underchassis. The size, construction, and fuel load of these compartments can vary considerably. The use of vehicle inspection field notes [see Figure A.16.3.2(h)] may assist the investigator in recording information. NFPA 921, 2017 Ed. Sec. 27.8.1 See more

The 2021 Edition of 921 is now available. I want to thank everyone that took the time to submit Public Inputs and Comments to make this edition what it is. I ...especially want to thank all of the committee members for their hard work to continue to provide the best information and guidance possible. Their passion and devotion to this process is remarkable. This will also be my last edition as Chairman of the committee. When I was appointed Chairman in January 2008, I had a simple goal, that at the end of my tenure as Chair, the fire investigation profession would be better as a result of the committees efforts. Time will tell. It has truly been a honor to serve as Chair over four editions with so many dedicated committee members. This month, the Standards Council will appoint a new Chairman and I will continue to serve on the committee as a Principal member. It has been amazing to see the growth of this profession since I went to my first committee meeting in 1991. Thank you to everyone for your support over these last 12 and a half years. It has been an amazing experience.

Wednesday Words: Fuel Items and Fuel Package. A fuel item is any article that is capable of burning. A fuel package is a collection or array of fuel items in cl...ose proximity to one another such that flames can spread throughout the array. Single-item fuel packages are possible when the fuel item is located away from other fuel items. A chair that is located away from other fuels is an example of a single-item fuel package. Fuel packages are generally identifiable by the separation of the array of fuel items from other fuel items. NFPA 921, 2017 Ed. Sec. 5.6.2.1 See more

Wednesday Words: Right of Entry. The fact that an investigator has authority to conduct an investigation does not necessarily mean that the investigator has the... legal right to enter the property that was involved in the fire. Rights of entry are frequently enumerated by statutes, rules, and regulations. Illegal entry on the property could result in charges against the investigator (i.e., trespassing; breaking and entering; or obstructing, impeding, or hampering a criminal investigation). Once a legal right of entry onto the property has been established, the investigator should notify the officer or authority in control of the scene of the intent to enter. An otherwise legal right of entry does not authorize entry onto a crime scene investigation. Further authorization by the specific agency or officer in charge may be required. Care should be taken to avoid the spoliation of evidence. NFPA 921, 2017 Ed. Sec. 12.3.2 See more

The COVID-19 crisis has altered the way first responders, health care facilities, and even whole communities operate. The cover story of the May/June issue of N...FPA Journal, "Learning from COVID," explores the pandemic's long-lasting impact from each of these angles: https://bit.ly/3fH2nnC #COVID19 #coronavirus See more

Don’t miss this episode on Flame Front Radio with John McDermott next Wednesday!

Episode 5 of @FlameFrontRadio is out! Investigating Large Fire Losses with special guest Ric Torres. Have a listen!

Listen in on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 for John’s discussion with Ricardo Damian Torres on Investigating Large Fire Losses. This conversation covers off many diffe...rent aspects of this type of investigation you may want to consider. Be sure to follow, like, share and most importantly listen to all episodes of #FlameFrontRadioWithJohnMcDermott on #ApplePodcasts, #Spotify, #Stitcher or #GooglePodcasts!

Wednesday Words. Purpose of Reports. The purpose of a written report is to document an accurate and concise reflection of the investigator's findings. The repor...t should contain facts and data that the investigator can rely on to render any opinions and should contain the investigator's reasoning of how each opinion was reached. The report should meet the needs or requirements of the intended audience(s). Reports may be used for: improvement of public safety, prevention of similar future incidents, the basis for criminal or civil litigation, the basis for insurance claims, or simply documentation of the facts for the record. NFPA 921, 2017 Ed. Sec. 16.5.1 See more

Several awards were presented at the IAAI AGM on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. We would like to congratulate all the recipients and honorees. Here are some of the aw...ards: OUTSTANDING CHAPTER PUBLICATION: New York Chapter #23. The Fire Scene. Edward Lachenaur, Editor. OUTSTANDING CHAPTER AWARD. James I. Smith Chapter of the Year: UK-AFI Chapter #67. Deon Webber, President. IAAI AWARD OF RECOGNITION: John C. Kernan. The Upper Makefield Township Fire Department, Pennsylvania. IAAI AWARD OF RECOGNITION: Mark Reibenspies. Wichita Fire Department. Kansas. GEORGE H. PARKER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD: Chris Lopez. Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office. Texas. GUY E. "SANDY" BURNETTE OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT AWARD: Hampshire Constabulary and Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service Arson Task Force, UK. GUY E. "SANDY" BURNETTE OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT AWARD: West Midlands Fire Service, UK. 2020 FIRE INVESTIGATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD: Scott Bennet and Mark Shockman, FEC, Ohio. PHOTO AWARDS: Arson,1st Place Paul Bishoff, Overland Park Fire Department Arson, 2nd Place Carl Finocchiaro, Spectrum Forensics, LLC Arson, Honorable Mention Adam Stanley, Johnston County Emergency Services Accidental, 1st Place Douglas J. Carpenter, Combustion, Science & Engineering, Inc. Accidental, 2nd Place Bobby Senn, Fire Department of New York Accidental, Honorable Mention Doug Pierre, North Dakota Attorney General Office

Did you know? Wildfires from the previous year can smoulder under the ground over the winter. They are classified as ‘under control’ and monitored in case they ...flare up the following spring. For more information on the current wildfire situation, visit https://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-status/status-map.aspx. See more

Foundation Challenge Coins through the years...do you have them all?