The Collin County Fire Investigators Association, Inc. (CCFIA) [an affiliate of the Collin County Fire and Arson Task Force] presents their annual “Forensic Fire Death Investigators Course” in cooperation with the Texas State University, Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS).  This course is for fire investigators and professionals who are critically involved in the investigation of death scenes.

This multifaceted program combines both a body donation program and forensic osteology research programs with fire origin and cause investigative skills in a field laboratory environment to collect scientific data during full-scale live-fire experiments.  The “Forensic Fire Death” program partnership integrates the collection of data from the donations used during the class to study the effects of fire on cadavers for both scholastic and industrial research.  Our current program’s donations are part of a cumulative pilot fire-effects research program, an essential part of the fire death program’s continuation.  This course is in cooperation with FACTS and is hosted at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) in South Central Texas.  This is a unique opportunity, which meets FACTS professional workshop standards and requirements.

This course is not labeled “basic” or “advanced”; because it is a uniquely designed course for all experience levels of individuals from multiple disciplines.  Basic fire investigative skills will be taught to those with little or no knowledge of fire investigations, advanced fire investigative skills will be taught to inexperienced fire investigators, and experienced investigators will refine their skills with new techniques while the basics of NFPA 921 are reiterated.  During your attendance at this course, you will learn about some of the latest technology and instruction through the various lectures on fire death investigation with additional instruction in basic fire science and investigation concepts through a review of fire dynamics, fire chemistry, and fire patterns.  Additionally, you will be provided with up-to-date knowledge of these topics in compliance with NFPA 1033.  Various other skills and investigative resources will be introduced during the week, including the use of drones, arc mapping, and calcination surveys.  The course will introduce you, as an investigator, to the many forensic disciplines which can be involved in death scene investigations, including fire deaths, specifically, in-depth instruction on osteology, anthropology, and anatomy.  Techniques for the excavation of fire victims from fire debris will be taught with hands-on training.  Additional evening sessions of advanced fire investigation concepts (given by subject matter experts) will be available at the host hotel.

Beyond the scientific data gained for the academic forensic anthropology community; investigators of all disciplines (law enforcement, homicide detectives, fire and arson, medicolegal death investigators) will work side by side with anthropology students in a ‘team investigation effort’ (NFPA 921: 25.5.3) to conduct a simulated death investigation.  Investigators (of all disciplines), crime scene professionals, magistrates, prosecutors, and anthropology students have attended this course.  Participants of forensic disciplines other than fire investigations will participate as a team member to learn, observe, and contribute through their discipline, as their team incorporates all of the investigative skills taught during the week.  Each investigator is encouraged to use their prior knowledge, experience, and skills to increase their team’s efficiency.

The teams will complete a cumulative presentation of their findings on Friday; this will be reviewed by proctors, subject matter experts, and practicing attorneys in a constructive criticism learning environment to introduce you to a courtroom or deposition environment.  This course will conclude with a test of knowledge learned and certificates issued after completing the examination.  Certificates will display the topic instructed and the corresponding associated hours.