Experience

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  Fire investigation industries

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  • President - Director of Operations

    Aug 2015 - now

  • Fire Investigator

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  Us navy

  Jan 1986 - Jan 1991

  Navy diver

  Honorably discharged after five years of service. I was last assigned to Underwater Construction Team One in NAB Little Creek tasked with the construction, inspection, and repair of underwater facilities such as piers, quay walls, mooring systems, and submarine tracking systems. Attended Second Class Deep Sea Dive school in Coronado, California and Underwater Construction School in Port Hueneme, California. Scuba and deep sea diver supervisor qualified and hyperbaric chamber operator.Completed classified assignments to areas all over the northern hemishpere including Nova Scotia, Argentia, Cuba, and Bermuda. Received Sailor of the Year Award, Good Conduct Medal, and Expert Rifleman Medal. Primary skilled as a Steelworker in the US Navy Construction Battalion trained in the fabrication and repair metal based structures on both land and undersea. Show less

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  Cal-protection

  Jul 1992 - Sept 1997

  Fire protection system supervisor

  Supervisor in charge of the inspection, testing, maintenance, and certification of fire suppression and fire detection systems in both the private and government sectors. Areas included Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Los Angeles County. Certified through the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technology, and following the guidelines of NFPA , California State Title 19, and LA City Reg 4, I was responsible for inspection, testing, maintenance, and certification of various suppression systems including, dry-pipe, pre-action, deluge, and wet based sprinkler systems. Fire detection systems included fire alarms systems, smoke detection systems, elevator recall, stairwell pressurization, communication systems, and building evacuation. Other systems included fire pumps, Class I II and III standpipes, fire extinguishers, and kitchen hood systems. Show less

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  Orange county fire authority

  Jul 1992 - Sept 1997

  Paid call firefighter

  Paid Call Firefighter/Driver Operator assigned to Fire Stations 10, 16, and 32. Responded to various emergencies including structure fires, vehicle fires, dumpster fires, debris fires, vegetation fires, medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, and rescues. Responded to several out of county large scale campaign fires as requested through the California Mutual Aid System.

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  City of merced

  Sept 1997 - Jun 2015

  Fire Battalion Chief responsible for the protection of the citizens of the City of Merced through life safety, property conservation, and emergency incident mitigation. The Merced City Fire Department is made up of five fire stations that include five front line type one fire engines and one front line fire truck. Each of these units are staffed with three personnel and include a fire captain, apparatus engineer, and a firefighter. Some stations also include reserve units that are back filled with off duty personnel when needed. Each of the three shifts are made up of eighteen line personnel and one battalion chief, for a total of nineteen per shift.The City of Merced covers an area of 23 square miles and is home to nearly 81,000 citizens. It is also home to the newly constructed UC Merced which is made up of nearly 6,500 students and staff. The department covers both residential and commercial areas and responds to a wide array of emergency calls such as emergency medical calls, structure fires, vegetation fires, vehicle fires, dumpster fires, debris fires, trench rescues, confined space rescues, hazardous materials incidents, aircraft emergencies, and swift water emergencies.Our department also has re-initiated its' fire investigation unit of which I lead. The unit is compromised of nine personnel all trained to thoroughly investigate the origin and cause of all major and criminal fires within the City of Merced. Show less The City of Merced Fire Investigation Unit was re-established in August 2011 as part of the Fire Departments'​ Five Year Strategic Plan (2011-2016). The primary objectives were to develop policies and procedures, identify and train fire department personnel, develop inter-agency relationships, and identify/aquire tools/equipment needed to conduct accurate and thorough fire investigations following the guidelines of NFPA 921 and 1033. . Since then, the 10 person unit has trained/certified above the minimium levels outlined in NFPA 1033. The unit is diversely made up of members various ranks and shifts and possess specific knowlege, skills, and ability in the different investigative areas including scene processing, scene documentation, report writing, interviewing/interrogations, evidence collection, scene photography, fire dynamics, fire behavior, PC832 Laws of Arrest, and PC832 Firearms.With the re-establishment of the Fire Investigation Unit, we also re-structured our department's 3 member Juvenile Fire Setter Interventionist Program, of which I oversee. In 2013, there were 21 juviniles referred to the program by either the Fire Investigation Unit through arrests, in-house by suppression personnel, Merced County Probation, or self/home referral.The Fire Investigation Unit gained momentum through relationships with other agencies, increased training and education, and experience in the field. The unit was activated on several fires within the City of Merced. The last two successful cases resulted in the arrest of two arsonist. The first was an adult male that had started over 30 vehicle, dumpster, and vegetation fires in North Merced. The second was an adult male that was responsible for lighting a 12 unit apartment complex occupied by elderly adults. Show less

  • Fire Battalion Chief - Retired

    Jun 2011 - Jun 2015

  • Fire Investigation Unit Manager - Fire Investigator II

    Jan 2011 - Jun 2015

  • Fire Captain

    Sept 2005 - Jun 2011

  • Fire Apparatus Engineer

    Sept 2001 - Sept 2005

  • Firefighter

    Sept 1997 - Sept 2001
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  Adhoc fire investigations

  Jul 2015 - Apr 2016

  Contractor - senior fire investigator

  Conduct contract fire origin and cause investigations in the commercial and residential setting. Collect evidence, evidence analysis, scene documentation, and expert witness testimony. Assist and consult adjusters in the insurance industry for subrogation. Maintain current training as outlined in NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033.

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  Fire investigation resources

  Aug 2015 - now

  President - director of operations - fire investigator ii - iaai ect cfi

  FII is a certified, qualified, licensed, and insured private investigation company that provides competent fire investigative services for both the public and private industries. FII is based out of California’s Central Valley and we currently have one satellite location in the South Bay Area. Our company covers most areas of Southern, Central, and Northern California.Fire Investigation Industries provides the following professional services:• Fire Origin and Cause Investigations Involving Structures, Vehicles, and Wildland • Fire Scene Documentation• Evidence Collection• Expert Witness and Courtroom Testimony• Report Writing• Criminal Arson Investigations• Large Loss Insurance Subrogation• Insurance Fraud Investigations • Risk Prevention and Loss Control Evaluations• Civil Litigation involving Plaintiffs and Defense Cases• Case ReviewFII’s fire investigators use a systematic and science based approach to fire investigations and adhere to the applicable recommendations which are outlined in National Fire Protection Association 921 (NFPA 921) “Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations." We meet or exceed the minimum qualifications that are outlined in the National Fire Protection Association 1033 (NFPA 1033) “Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigators.” Fire Investigator Certifications include: • California State Private Investigator (License #187830)• California State Fire Marshal – Certified Fire Investigator I and II• International Association of Arson Investigators - Certified Fire Investigator (IAAI-CFI)• International Association of Arson Investigators - Fire Investigation Technician (IAAI-FIT)• International Association of Arson Investigators – Evidence Collection Technician (IAAI-ECT)• California Conference of Arson Investigators - Certified Fire Investigator (CCAI-CFI) Show less

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  Merced community college district

  Sept 2022 - now

  Professor and director of fire technology

  Full-time faculty as the professor of Fire Technology. Director and Coordinator of the Fire Technology program, Fire Fighter Academy, and State Fire Training courses.