Opinion Article ARE YOU HIRING A FIRE INVESTIGATOR OR A COMPANY NAME? During the course of my 17 plus years investigating fire losses in the private sector, I have made some observations that I am compelled to share. During recent years, I have noticed a trend of engineers attending a 5-day class and then receiving a certification as a “Certified Fire Investigator”. Sounds good.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

John: You are right, I was thinking Sierra Pacific and put in the Feds by mistake. Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

High heat equal accelerants is still with us in 2014. Excerpts from a very recent depo. At least they only list it as probable. Q. Can you please tell me what your observations and evidence are that lead you to that conclusion? A. I do not have any evidence. But my observation was that we had a total involvement of the building. The amount of heat that was created during this fire w
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

John: This was only the first step. Sierra Pacific settled with the federal government for $122.5 million in cash and land after a federal judge indicated the company could still be found liable even if it didn’t start the fire. The Feds are now back in court to undue their settlement based upon what you posted. Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

John: How many of the files you worked on were fire service investigators that got it wrong, versus privates. I am finding many retired fire service employees going private are now contributing to the problem. Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Doug: You are very correct. Most all of the fuels, solids & liquids are in a constant change as industry tries to improve them or make them more economical. What was true several years ago in a particular fuel, may well have changed and that is one of the values of this forum in trying to keep ourselves up to date. Cy.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Pat: Had an occasion in the 1960's to assist USFS Fire Lab. and University of California at the Riverside Fire lab. on locomotive exhaust fire problems. They published a paper entitled ENGINE EXHAUSE PARTICLES AS POTENTIAL IGNITION SOURCES OF WILDLAND FUELS WSCI-72-19. This was published by Floyd D. Maxwell, Neil R. Fetter and C.Lance Mohler. Bottom line is that motor vehicle/truc
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Lorne: It's a date. Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Lorne: You are correct. I have been licensed in California since 1974 and Nevada since about 1986 without any problems. Now, because I live in California I cannot operate in Nevada unless I expend money to open an office in Nevada, which is not likely. I could move to Nevada, practice there and in California, but I have no desire to move. So who was motivated to make the change? Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Wait a minute. Your state of Nevada just passed legislation the requires an In-state office for all investigators. There is an exception for those who do investigations that involve litigation. So who besides local Nevada investigators benefit?
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

You bet it will: However, security cameras are great recorders at their level. But, it is up to the viewer to evaluate what they are actually seeing.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Mark: I installed a whole house system in my house many years ago. Any fire can easily trigger what you describe. At the vacuum canister the two wires are exposed and can short out in a fire causing the system to activate and draw fire to the vacuum canister. The same is true where each wall connection is located. Also if the vacuum hose is connected to the wall, any fire attacking th
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

George: If you did not hit the nail on the head, you sure came close to it.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Steve, I agree. The article is well worth reading and should stimulate some self sole searching. I see well too often that reports reflect first impressions and lack of attempting to gather all available information before coming to a valid conclusions.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

It appears that there are those out there that if you scratch their bellies you will get what you want
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Way back when, 1950 or so: I was finishing the wood handles of forest firefighting tools, shovels, axes, brush hooks, McClouds, rakes and the like, with broken glass to get a smooth finish. After that was done I applied linseed oil with a rag to finish the job. The lunch bell rang, I went to lunch and I tossed the wadded up rag down on the wood hose rack where I had been working. Sitting
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

To All: This is not the place for banning things we do not like to here. This is a forum for Fire Investigators of all levels regardless of education, experience, including all levels of ability to communicate. I have found over the years that I need several levels of English to communicate with those involved in my activities. As an example our school district has over 80 different langu
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I guess we should consider adding "proper English" to NFPA 1033, 1.3.8.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I'll set back with a Tanqueray over with a twist and enjoy.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Good for you Chris. It is up to those participating in the forum to recognize the bias that exist and judge what has value and what has not. Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Why are not the wire manufacturers developing an insulation that is not attracted by rodents? This is a wide spread problem.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Why are not the wire manufacturers developing an insulation that is not attracted by rodents? This is a wide spread problem.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Pat: Definitely! I can even teach your my daily exercise routine -- two ounce curls. Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

And I will bring the Old Grand Dad.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Phoenix: A great idea, but it would take out much of the fun of those who are sensitive to the use of common English language. Cy
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Am I missing somithing here? As a fire/explosion investigator what I know before I go to the scene should make no difference on how I conduct my investigation. Once I determine the point of origin and have a non-accidental heat source then prior information can make the job easier. We are all creatures of habit. Whether we fight, investigate or start fires. When you have an understandi
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Tim: James and Mark are both right. Have had forty or more garage fires where the doors either opened or closed or sometimes did so several times during the fire. The control wire damaged by the fire caused this effect. Since power was to that circuit, look other places on the circuit or the circuit could be a victim of a fire starting elsewhere. Cy Holmes Cy Holmes Fire Investigatio
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

John: Thanks for the post. We all need to know what the courts will think some years after we do our investigations. By doing it the way current guides and court rullings set, we may be able to overcome some of those critiziums. If we can anticipate what guidelines and court rulling will be in place 10 years from now we can do a better job in developing our theories of what happened.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Pat: I do not know the level of the investigator you refer to, but as an old timer, so to speak, here are my thoughts: This question recently was asked on another fire investigation blog: “...does any one know the ignition energy for plastic?” Several thoughts immediately came to mind: 1. Clearly the poster doesn’t understand what he is asking. Those amoung us who did not or
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

To all: I posted a note on the experience the wife and I had with a tea light canle back in November 2011. Thanks to Pat, Jaudio and Howard Myers replies, the result was that CPSC in a voluntarily recall with the supplier recalled about 10,000 cases of tea lights. The following is a commment from The Sterno Group LLC 2/21/2012 which helps view the concern industry has in preventing fires
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations