Fire Life Safety Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.2402

Fire & Emergency Experience

January 1980 – present
Department of Safety Services, Colorado

Fire Marshal
(August 1997 to present)
Fire Marshal responsibilities include developing and implementing Fire Prevention programs, policies and operating procedures.  Development, administration and supervision of Fire Division prevention programs such as fire investigations, hazardous materials, and commercial fire safety inspections.  Interaction with building division to facilitate the accomplishment of plan reviews, field inspection, building safety evaluations, etc. Additional responsibilities include research and advisement of the code issues to citizens and industry, teaching and assistance of the fire code to fire department line personnel.

Assistant Fire Marshal
(January 1994 to August 1997)
Assistant Fire Marshal responsibilities included sprinkler plan review, fire alarm plan review, and other reviews dictated by fire safety. Inspection responsibilities included sprinkler installation; function tests both for sprinkler and fire alarms; specialty inspections; and others as assigned. Assisted in the administration of the fire department inspection program; follow-up of fire code/building code related issues.

Emergency Medical Services Coordinator
Designated Infectious Disease Control Officer
(February 1990 to January 1994)
EMS coordinator responsibilities included coordinating continuing education requirements for EMS line personnel; EMS related training for all city employees; administration of EMS patient medical records; liaison concerning medical records, acts and other related records; medical protocol review; acquisition of medical supplies; billing of ambulance services.  Designated Infectious Disease Control Officer responsibilities included infection control education; developing written infection control procedures; administration of prophylactic vaccination program; follow-up of exposures.

Fire/Medic
(August 1980 to February 1990)
Managed treatment at emergency medical scenes.  Responsibilities include: implementing programs, policies and procedures as defined in the Englewood Fire Department Procedures Manual; responding to emergency and fire calls as a member of an engine company, truck company or rescue company; protecting life and/or property from the dangers of fire, medical emergency, accidents, using a variety of firefighting, advanced life support techniques and equipment.  Additional responsibilities included commercial and public building fire inspections; preparing incident reports.

Teaching Experience

Fire Marshals of Colorado
2006, 2007 Certification prep class.  Preparation for certification examination for students.  Assisted with the development of the curriculum, lesson plans, visual aids and handouts.  Provided several days of lecture for the class.

ICC’s 2004 Annual Conference
Developed and delivered lecture, lesson plan, PowerPoint presentation, handouts and hands on demonstration material for 2 day lecture

Colorado Chapter of the ICC Educational Institute
2004 & 2005     Developed and delivered PowerPoint presentation, handouts, quizzes, hands on demonstrations and all other materials for IFC lectures.

Western Fire Chiefs
2004 to present     Developed and delivered lecture, lesson plan, PowerPoint presentation, handouts and hands on demonstration material for several different topics including flammable liquids, flammable finishes and fire code overview

Englewood Fire Division
1994 to present     Perform training needs assessment concerning fire code issues.  Develop lesson plans, visual aids, hands on aids, handouts, and deliver presentations on a quarterly basis for all line personnel to address those identified issues.

Education

National Fire Academy
Executive Fire Officer candidate, 1999-2001

University of Colorado, Denver
Masters Candidate, Business Administration, 1988-1990

Ball State University,  Indiana
Bachelor of Science - Education, 1974

International Conference of Building Officials
Fire sprinkler, basic and advanced

Certifications

ICC Plans Examiner
IFC Fire Code, Inspector I and II

Memberships

Fire Marshals of Colorado

Englewood Municipal Credit Union Past President of the Board of Directors

Western Fire Chiefs Uniform Fire Code Committee Member

National Fire Protection Association Building Code Technical Committee Member on Fundamentals and Technical Committee Member on Application of Flammable Finishes

References

Available upon Request