Webinar: Fire Investigation Methodology and the Myths and Legends

The presentation will demonstrate the scientific principles of the investigative process and how "FI-UK LLP" utilise a Fire Investigation Road Maps (FIRMs) application to create an auditable decision log to demonstrate that process. The second half of the presentation will look at some of the myths and legends, mainly created by Holywood, about fire and how experience and testing can bust those myths.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, delegate will:
- Understand the methodology of fire investigation
- Recognise the advantage of decision logs
- Understand the media influence on the understanding of fire
- Recognise the need for a forensic approach to fire investigation

Speaker Biography
As one of the founding partners of FI-UK, Chris has been involved in a wide variety of fire investigations. He has investigated fires for a variety of clients within the insurance, legal, manufacturing industry and Government Departments, working with both loss adjusters and solicitors in the subrogation of claims. Chris has carried out fire investigations in the UK and the Middle East, reviewed cold cases and provided expert reports for the criminal and civil courts. He has experience in the investigation of fire related claims in both domestic, commercial and industrial losses as well as personal injury claims.

Having qualified as an Electrical Engineer, Chris joined the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) in the mid-eighties where he was an operational officer for over 26 years. He specialised in fire investigation for his final 12 years, ultimately leading the fire investigation team as a senior officer. During his time at WYFRS, he investigated over 40 fatal fires and numerous domestic, commercial and industrial fires and has also led on several multimillion-pound financial loss fire investigations. Chris was trained in fire investigation both in the UK and by the US Federal Government in the USA. He is an accomplished trainer in the field of fire investigation and fire service operations and has developed and presented training packages and presentations to many organisations including fire and rescue services, the insurance industry, universities and senior police officers.

Chris holds a Master of Science Degree in Fire Investigation. His final project for this degree was ‘The ignitability of petrol vapours and potential for vapour phase explosion by use of TASER® law enforcement electronic control device’.

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