Training records found ‘deficient’

I wanted everyone to know the Paul Harvey addition to the above article as it relates to Fire Investigations. In 2004 the Fire Fighters Standards and Training Council came out with a new certification. Certified Fire Investigator. It only requires the holder of that title complete the level one (2 week course) and the level 2 (2 week course) at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth Georgia. So if my math is correct it is 160 hours of quality training. To continue that certification the investigator needs to complete 1 investigation each year, which in 2009 each person completed more than that.. The core competency requires a letter in the investigators file. This was completed once the issue was raised by the state. The certification also requires the investigator attend 24 hours of quality training each year. This is usually completed through attending Georgia Fire Investigators Association training seminars at a cost to either the employee or the department. Since our budgets have been sliced to bare bones there is no money for an employee to attend. There is an online training that can be completed but we all know the perception of "online" training. Also all investigators are considered secondary certifications, which means that they are fire fighters/paramedics first. They are not required to have the state certification to do the job of investigations as long it is not a primary job function for the employee. Only to complete the necessary training if they want to maintain that certification. In the given climate that we function in; loss of pay, higher insurance premiums, and overall turmoil the desire to excel and make sacrifices away from family without any financial recovery or reward is minimal at best if not close to nonexistent.

I am not a State Fire Fighters Standards and Training(SFSTC) certified investigator. I am a Certified Fire Investigator from the International Association of Arson Investigators(IAAI) and a Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator from National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI). I am also a certified arson investigator from the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST). The IAAI and the NAFI certifications far out weigh what the SFSTC has come up with in terms of a certification. Plus the Courts, which is really where certifications become important, don't worry about SFSTC they worry about NFPA 1033 and if the investigation was done in accordance with NFPA 921. Anyone that knows me and what I expect out of each and every investigator that represents not only the department but the values of investigations knows that we are in complete compliance with the Standard of NFPA 1033 and conduct each investigation in accordance with the NFPA 921 the Guide on how to conduct an investigation. If the individual investigator does not then I won't allow them to continue as an investigator. In the age of the internet and the flow of information in the "I got to have it now" I would hope that the real truth comes out.

So in closing the Investigators assigned to conduct origin and cause examinations in Barrow County do so within the confines of NFPA. Due to Budget cuts a lack of training funds we as a department are doing the best we can. We do our jobs because we feel everyone deserves an answer. Why did that fire destroy my home, my belongings, kill my pets or worse than that my family members. That is why we sift, shovel and do what we do. So I would hope that the readers understand that if in 2009, 2010 and for the years to come that we are attempting to do what we can do under the confines of our operating budget.

Sincerely,

Blair Darst, IAAI-CFI