Advanced Forensic Fire Death Investigation
SLOFIST Inc.
San Luis Obispo, CA
June 24-28, 2024
Observe 14 live burn scenarios, utilizing 16 training aids (cadavers), both in vehicles and various structures (tent, building, vehicle, trailer, open field) including fuel packages. Participating in the ignition sequence and observing extinguishment followed by a field autopsy. Additional advanced scenario conducted to determine origin and cause, along with determination of manor/cause of death followed by a case presentation at the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse to a United States District Attorney for criminal charge consideration.
Fire Dynamics in the Wildland
IAAI and CFI Trainer
November 2023
Fire Chemistry
IAAI and CFI Trainer
September 2023
Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Fires
IAAI and CFI Trainer
September 2023
Critical Evaluations and Testing of Commonly Reported Accidental Causes
IAAI and CFI Trainer
September 2023
Science of Fire and Explosion Hazards from Lithium-Ion Batteries
UL Fire Safety Research Institute
August 2023
Fire Investigative Training Program
National Association of Fire Investigators
Denver, CO
June 2023
Natural Gas and Propane Explosions
Origin and Cause Inc
June 2023
Fire Investigation Wildfire Investigation
FireWise Consulting & Learning Academy
May 2023
Investigating Farm Machinery Losses
Origin and Cause Inc.
May 2023
Fire Effects: Combustion By-Products Effects
IAAI and CFI Trainer
May 2023
Explosion Dynamics
IAAI and CFI Trainer
January 5, 2023
Explosion Dynamics
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
December 2022
Wildland Fire Investigations
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
May 2022
Arc Mapping Basics
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
November 2021
Basic Electricity
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
November 2021
Arc Mapping Basics
International Association of Arson Investigators
November 2021
Tortured Minds
Vancouver, BC
January 2014
- Complex arson investigations
- Major insurance fraud
- Staged fires
- Best practice
Husky Energy National Safety Conference
Banff, AB
October 2013
- Scene containment
- Evidence collection
- Workplace privacy and Canadian law
- Investigative process
- Workers’ rights
- The threat of eco terrorism/investigative vigilance
Vehicle Investigation Certification (CVEI Designation)
National Association of Fire Investigators
September 2013
- Basic vehicle operation
- Vehicle Research
- Information sources
- Electrical systems
- Scene documentation
- Fuel systems
- Post crash fuel fed fires
- SAE standards
- “Black Box” crash data retrieval
- Field examinations
- Staged scenes
- Vehicle recalls
- Liability
SLOFIST Fire Death Investigation
San Luis Obispo Fire Investigation Strike Team Coroner’s Division
San Luis Obispo, CA
June 2012
- Fire death scene preservation
- Investigative procedures at the death scene
- The team approach to death investigation
- Cause and manner of fire related death
- Forensic means to determine time of death
- Antemortem vs. postmortem burns
- Biological evidence related to fire death
- Hands on processing of crime scenes using 14 cadavers and 8 scenarios
- Processing a crime scene, initial approach and documentation of evidence collection
War on Grow Ops Conference
ALERT
Banff, AB
March 2012
- Best coalition practices
- Effect on indoor air quality
- Current trends
- Electrical utility supplier concerns
- Legislative authority regarding remediation
- Vacant building fires
- Health and safety risks
- Investigative challenges
Deception Detection Techniques,
United States Department of Homeland Security
Calgary, AB
April 2012
- Internal review for relevance to CPS
Police Explosive Technician Assistant/Post Blast Investigation (5 Day)
Calgary Police Service Tactical Unit Bomb Unit.
December 2011
- Recognition, identification and handling of explosives
- Scenario based scenes with diffusion and or disruption
- Experimentation on range using all types of explosives
- Examination of post blast scenes
- Identification of precursors
- Chemical vs powder explosion, high explosive
- Det. chord, Molotov cocktails
- Scene preservation
- Approaching the scene
- Damage evaluation
Advanced Fire Investigation Workshop
Dr. John DeHaan
Lethbridge, AB
November 2011
- Fire science
- NFPA 921
- Fire death
- Low energy ignition sources
Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI Designation)
National Association of Fire Investigators
Newport Beach, CA
March 2011
- Dynamics of fire investigation
- Chemistry and physics of fire behavior
- Science of fire dynamics
- Fire and explosion scene investigation techniques
- Diagramming of the fire and explosion scene
- Collection and preservation of evidence
- Origin determination
- Evaluation of fire causes. Failure analysis
- Determination of electrical fire causes
- Explosion dynamics and scene investigation
- Effective fire case testimony
Internet Research Techniques Master Class: Deep Internet Searching
Toddington International and Security Professional Information Exchange (SPIE)
Calgary, AB
September 2010
- Search techniques, search tools and case studies
- Investigative errors that compromise cases
- Advanced search techniques on “surface’ and ‘deep’ web search resources
- Compile and analyze internet sourced information
- Protection of privacy online and maintaining operational integrity
Cognitive Interviewing
Calgary Police Service
Calgary, AB
March 2010
- Memory enhancement
- Admissibility of statements
- Charter and voluntariness of statement
- Direct and implied threats
- Interview vs interrogation
- Persuasion
- Evidence
Death and Homicide
PATC
Las Vegas, NV
March 2009
- Homicide and equivocal death
- Crime scene reconstruction
- Medical and forensic death investigations
- Procedural issues in the use of deadly force
Alberta Homicide Conference and Seminar
Calgary Police Service
Calgary, AB
October 2008
Major Crimes Undercover Workshop
Calgary, AB
June 2008
- Investigative Techniques
- Investigative Review
- Risk Management
- Law Application
- Case law review
Advanced Forensic Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques
RCMP and Alberta Justice
May 2008
- Pre-interview preparation
- Physical setting
- Interviewer guidelines
- Phased Interview
- Rapport building
- Free narrative
- Clarification
- Closure
Sudden Death Investigations. “Golden Triangle”
Alberta Justice with the Calgary Medical Examiner’s Office
Red Deer, AB
May 2008
- Principals of sudden death
- Scene exam
- Blood splatter
- Postmortem changes
- Forensic Odontology
- Tool marks
- Forensic Anthropology
- Blunt and sharp trauma
- Postmortem forensic toxicology
Advanced Driver Training
RCMP
Calgary, AB
December 2007
- High speed driving
- Unmarked operations
Advanced Interviewing and Interrogation
E. Reid and Associates
July 2005
DNA Sampling
Calgary Police Service Crime Scenes Unit
June 2005
- Taking of DNA samples from suspects
- Certified to take DNA samples
- Certified to take DNA samples
Counter Terrorism Training
RCMP, CCIS
Calgary, Alberta
March 2005
Serious Habitual Offenders
Red Deer, AB
November 2004
- Who is considered a Serious Habitual Offender
- Mental mindset
- Psychological evaluations
Source Agent Workshop
PATC
Edmonton, AB
February 2003
- Evaluating the source
- Legal requirements and long term subject management
- Liability
Man tracking Techniques,
Emergency Response Institute. Richard Smith
Calgary, AB
April 2000
- Detailed and comprehensive approach for the tactical tracker
- The ability to complete tracks on a wide variety of terrain
- Detecting sign
- Classification of prints
- Sign cutting
- Track aging
- Handling evidence
- Tracking the evader
Surveillance, Level 1
Calgary Police Service
Calgary, AB
March 2000
- Vehicle surveillance
- On foot surveillance
