Expert No. 1500

He has over 25 years of firefighting, fire / arson investigation, and instructional experience. His actual fire fighting experience spanned two states, Missouri and Kansas, prior to his retiring as a Battalion Chief. Early in his career he began investigative work involving scene investigations, insurance loss, and fire origin.

Education

Tennessee Technological University, Cookville, Tennessee (1976-1977)
New Mexico State University, Las Crusas, New Mexico (1978)
National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, Maryland (1979-1991)
Penn Valley Community College, Kansas City, Missouri (1979-1987)
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri (1979-1988)
Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas (1987-1994)
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas (1987-1994)
Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City, Kansas (1998-2000) Degree in Fire Science

Fire Investigation
 

• Cause & Origin investigations
• Fire and insurance loss
• Legal investigations
• Expert witness testimony, Kansas and Missouri courts
• Insurance investigations
• Lead investigation team
• Litigation support
• Standard operating procedure

 
Fire Department
 

• Battalion chief
• Fire captain
• Firefighter training
• Fire alarm response
• Emergency management
• Scene supervision
• Public education and fire prevention
• EMT

 
Fire Specialist
 

• Kansas City Kansas Community College affiliate faculty
• Arson Detection & Scene Preservation
• Fire Suppression & Detection Systems
• NRPA Life Safety Code
• Fire Hydraulics
• Fire Service Instructional Methodology
• Engineer
• Public education & Fire investigation

 
Professional Organizations and Activities

• Licensed Private Detective, State of Kansas
• Certified Fire Investigator, Missouri Division of Fire Safety
• 1993 State of Kansas Fire Investigator of the Year, International Association of Arson Investigators
• Photography awards, International Association of Arson Investigators Kansas Chapter (1993, 2000-2003)
• Photography awards, International Association of Arson Investigators (1994, 1996, 1999-2001)
• Member, Professional Fire and Fraud Investigators Association
• Member, International Association of Arson Investigators
• Member, International Association of Arson Investigators-Kansas Chapter

Training Courses Facilitated

• Basic fire investigation and detection - Lenexa Fire Department (1992)
• Fire investigation seminar - Overland Park and Lenexa Fire Departments' Investigation Teams (1993)
• Interviews and interrogation techniques - insurance companies' Special Investigation Units (1993)
• Cause and origin investigations - Regional Fire Academy (1994)
• Vehicle fire investigations - Kansas City Arson Task Force (1996)
• Basic cause and origin - Mid-America Professional Investigators Association (1998)
• Vehicle fire investigations - Kansas City Arson Task Force (1999)
• Affiliate Faculty Kansas City Kansas Community College
• Teaching Fire Arson Investigation (Fall 1999)
• Teaching Fire Suppression & Detection Systems (Spring 2000)
• Teaching NFPA Life Safety Code 101 (Fall 2000)
• Teaching Fire Arson Investigation (Spring 2001)
• Teaching Fire Tactics & Strategy (Fall 2001)
• Teaching Fire Hydraulics (Spring 2002, Spring 2004)
• Teaching Fire Arson Investigation (Fall 2002, Fall 2004)
• Cause and origin investigation- Cincinnati Insurance Company (12-06-02)
• Teaching Fire Service Instructional Methodology (Spring 2003)
• Arson Detection & Scene Preservation Class - Edwardsville Fire Department (June 2003)
• Teaching Fire Tactics and Strategy - Kansas City Kansas Community College (Fall 2003)

Training and Conference Highlights

• Lee's Summit, Missouri Fire Department - Rookie fire training (1980)
• University of Missouri, Columbia - State firefighter one training (1980)
• State of Missouri Department of Social Services - Emergency Medical Technician (1980)
• University of Missouri, Columbia - Certified fire department instructor (1981)
• International Association of Arson Investigators - Annual Kansas state fire and arson investigation conference (1983)
• Kansas City, Missouri Arson Task Force - Arson investigation seminar (1983)
• National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, Maryland - Building construction for fire suppression forces (1985)
• Kansas City Metro Fire Chiefs Council - Mass casualty seminar (1986)
• The EMS Management Institute - Report and fire service writing (1987)
• International Association of Fire Chiefs - Instructional techniques (1987)
• Kansas City, Missouri Arson Task Force - Arson investigation seminar (1987)
• Johnson County Community College - Human relations (1987)
• Kansas Emergency Medical Services - Emergency medical technician (1988)
• Department of the Treasury - Arson for profit and fire investigation (1988)
• National Fire Academy - Firefighter safety and survival and the company officer's responsibility (1989)
• National Fire Academy - Commanding the initial response (1989)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - Fire service instructor certification (1989)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - The fire officer's role (1989)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - Tactics and strategy (1989)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - Employee appraisal and counseling (1989)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - Hazardous materials (1989)
• Professional Fire and Fraud Investigators Association - Fire and fraud investigators conference (1989)
• National Fire Academy - Safety on the scene (1990)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - SCBA (1990)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - Chemistry of hazardous materials (1990)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - Frank Brannigan's building construction (1990)
• Kansas City, Missouri Arson Task Force - Arson investigation seminar (1990)
• Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services - Automated external defibrillator (1991)
• Burlington Northern Railroad - Techniques of handling hazardous material incidents (1991)
• National Fire Academy - Fire and arson investigation (1991)
• Kansas City, Missouri Arson Task Force - Arson investigation seminar (1991)
• Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas - Trench Rescue (1992)
• International Association of Arson Investigators - Basic fire investigation seminar (1993)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (1994)
• International Association of Arson Investigators - international conference, Biloxi, Mississippi (1994)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (1995)
• Reid Technique of Interviewing and Interrogation (1995)
• International Association of Arson Investigators - international conference, Los Angeles, California (1995)
• Reid Technique for Interviewing and Interrogation, advance course (1995)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (1996)
• Kansas City Arson Task Force Fire and Arson Conference (1996)
• International Association of Arson Investigators - International Conference, St. Louis, Missouri (1996)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (1997)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (1998)
• Kansas City Arson Task Force Fire and Arson Conference (1999)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (2000)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (2001)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (2002)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (Kansas Chapter) - Fire and arson investigation conference (2003)

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