Fire & Arson Investigators Seminar draws 252 participants

AUSTIN – The 60th annual Texas IAAI Fire & Arson Investigators Seminar drew 252 participants to Austin on March 22-27 to learn more about fire-cause determination, arson investigation and prosecution. Participants came from Texas, Missouri, Louisiana, California and Puerto Rico.

Keynote speakers this year were Cory Martin, owner of Apex, a firm specializing in fire origin and cause evaluation, along with Detective Barry Grimm (retired), Major Crimes Unit in Middletown Township, NJ, and adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy. Special guests included Deborah Keeler, Executive Director for the IAAI.

Topics included Analysis of Fire Dynamics, Arc Mapping, Unusual Burn Patterns & Post Flashover, and Fatal Fires and Task Force Utilization. The Texas chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) presented awards for accomplishments in arson prevention at a ceremony on March 26. Each participant also received a 60th anniversary coin.

The seminar, which is conducted by TEEX, is the top fire and arson investigation conference in the state, and participants are eligible for CEU credits. In addition to TEEX and Texas IAAI, it was co-sponsored by the State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Texas Fire Marshals’ Association and ATAC (A Texas Advisory Council on Arson).

The 61st Annual Texas IAAI Fire and Arson Investigators Seminar will be held in Austin, TX, on March 20-25, 2016.