This is a smart guy. Not especially good looking, but smart.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

One must be cognizant that flashover is a transition not a condition. I know of no fire patterns that could be definitive of flashover, 921-2014 “3.3.83 Flashover. A transition phase in the development of a compartment fire in which surfaces exposed to thermal radiation reach ignition temperature more or less simultaneously and fire spreads rapidly throughout the space, resulting in full
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

I'm sorry Jim. I now realize that my previous post was way too wordy. Let me shorten it. Baloney
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Baloney. Show me one person who is confused as to what is meant by a "Comparison Sample" in a fire investigation context, and I'll show you someone with a room temperature I.Q. Here's a definition: "a comparison sample is a sample used for comparison with another."
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Just what is it about the Section on Comparison samples in NFPA 921-2014 that is so hard to understand? (Rhetorical Question) Comparison samples have been in 921 for 22 years, and yours is the first complaint ever put forward. NFPA 921-2014 17.5.4.6* Comparison Samples. When physical evidence is collected for examination and testing, it is often necessary to also collect comparison sampl
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

As a practical matter the hood and cabinets couldn't much less that 15" above the counter top. Any water in the pan would be a heat sink to the heating of the pan until the water is evaporated. It would be very difficult for the pan to be heat damaged while the water was present. Your real problem is coming up with a reasonable heat transfer mechanism over the 15-18" airspa
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Steve, “Many of your posts focus on the same points” as well. Coming up with a hypothesis out of thin air is the basic error which leads to Expectation Bias [921-2014 Sec. 4.3.8], Confirmation Bias [4.3.9*] and "Cause Hunting." It also completely violates the principles of using a Systematic Approach [4.2] and turns the Scientific Method [4.3 et seq.] on its head. In order to work properl
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

No. You just have to be honest, forthright, and polite enough to sign you post. Something, which I note you yourself are not, as you, CDA, have always remained anonymous as well. It's nice and safe sniping from the bushes. Isn't it.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

That reads like an anonymous bash to me. Congratulations, now you do qualify to be ignored as per my quoted post of April 02, 2012 05:56 PM.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

BS
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Dear Anonymous Fire Investigator, There are a number of good answers and suggestions about you questions, both in 921 and from other sources. However, to me, the only real question here is why any reasonable fire investigator would even bother to help a poster who has neither the manners, nor the forthrightness to even identify himself when asking for help. This is a particularly poignan
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

What kind of data or lack of definitive data (pro and con) did the workgroup weigh to come to this conclusion?
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Dear Anonymous: This was serious question. Nobody enjoys a humorous answer better that I do. If this was intended as a humorous answer, fine. If this was a serious answer, then please explain how gravity explains a face up or face down posture. In any event, please do not respond to any of my posts at all if you do not have the manners or courage to identify yourself.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Is there any reasonably arguable significance to bodies of fire victims overcome by products of combustion (not thermal injuries) being found face up or face down? Any studies? Any theories?
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Experience can enhance expertise, but does not = expertise.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Don't worry too much Doug. Memory failure is a regular sign of aging. I am an expert on this topic. What was the topic again?
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

For those interested in this discussion who have not yet read the changes in the new 2014 edition of 921 regarding the “process of elimination” and the “scientific method,” here are the pertinent sections. Changes were made to Sections 4.3.6, 4.3.6.1, and 19.6.5 particularly to alleviate misunderstandings about the “process of elimination” and the “scientific method” from previous editions. P
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Many a Yankee learned to eat mudbugs and drink JAX in the hospitality of A.J. home
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

We have recently learned that our dear friend and colleague, fire investigator, and safety expert A.J. Scardino, P.E., Ph.D., CFEI of Pass Christian, MS. passed away on February 6, 2014 after a long illness and that he was buried in Bay St. Louis, MS on February 13, 2014. He was 79. Some of you other old timers may remember A.J. as an innovative, ingenious, down to earth, and jovial companio
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

NEW IAFI WEBINAR Tuesday, February 18 @ 1pm Eastern Time Sign up for the IAFI's latest webinar. “Anatomy of Wrongful Arson Conviction” Presented by Paul Bieber.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

John Carroll’s 1979 book, Physical and Technical Aspects of Fire and Arson Investigation, is a pre-NFPA 921 text that had a fairly wide publication. It is still available on Amazon. Like so many books published in the decades before NFPA 921, it had many aspects which we now know are “old school” fire investigation (not unlike my early books). Their current usefulness to the fire investigation
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Thank you, but remember that 921 comes not only from the committee members and alternates, but also from much hard work by those non-members who regularly attend the committee meetings, those who actively participate in the various task groups, and those who actively participate in the in the NFPA proposals and comments process. This really a consensus document put together by literally hundreds
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Ad Nauseum
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

This has been discussed here and in other threads ad nauseum.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

"4.5.3 Expert Opinions. Many courts have set a threshold of certainty for the investigator to be able to render opinions in court, such as “proven to an acceptable level of certainty,” “a reasonable degree of scientific and engineering certainty,” or “reasonable degree of certainty within my profession.” While these terms of art may be important for the specific jurisdiction or court in whi
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Jim, Frequently I also wonder if you are in the land of Oz.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

NFPA 921-2014 Section 4.5 et seq. applies to all opinions. NFPA 921-2014 Chapter 4 Basic Methodology 4.5 Level of Certainty. The level of certainty describes how strongly someone holds an opinion (conclusion). Someone may hold any opinion to a higher or lower level of certainty. That level is determined by assessing the investigator’s confidence in the data, in the analysis of that data
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

Mike, I am glad to read that the post is your "humble opinion." You should very well be humble about it because it is a clear violation of the prescriptions and proscriptions of NFPA 921 and the Scientific Method. Even a burglar and murderer can cause an accidental fire and death during the commission of his crimes. A burglar enters a house at night which he thinks is unoccupied
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

SJAvato Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------ >(...I've been off on other things lately.) > > Steve Steve, I've always thought that you've been "off" on most thinks for a long time.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations

A perfect example for the use of formal "Critical Thinking" as the first step in hypothesis testing.
Forum: Fire/Arson Investigations