March 2009 Training Seminar-Live Burn

The March, 2009 seminar involved  live burn scenarios, giving everyone involved a chance to observe and participate in the entire investigation process from the Investigators perspective and from an Electrical Engineer’s standpoint as well.  The seminar included the burning of structures, observing fire dynamics at various stages, ventilation, temperatures from the incipient, free burning, flashover and post flashover stages, and the examination of burn patterns and the effects of circumstances that can change those patterns.  

At the completion of the burns, each of the five structures, that had been built and burned by the CCAI Board and other volunteers, were then methodically examined by teams of two Investigators, who explained the entire investigative process to their group of attendees, in an attempt to determine the origin and cause.  Each investigative team had an Electrical Engineer and Accelerant Detection Canines at their disposal and were able to submit recovered evidence samples to CCAI’s own mythical lab (as cause of ignition was known to only a select group of individuals). 

Attendees had been divided into groups and assigned to one of the structures and were able to watch the investigative process and encouraged to actively participate by asking questions as to what the investigative teams were doing as well as why.

Live burns such as this are some of the types of seminars that CCAI provides, based on the availability of training funds and other resources.  In years past, CCAI has conducted “Live burns” at various seminars of approximately ninety-six 8’ x 8’ x 8’ cubicles and other structures of various sizes.  Additionally, vehicle investigation seminars involving the live burns of various and numerous types of cars, as well as electrical and combustible liquid ignition classes, involving fires igniting from those sources have been presented during the recent past years.

Topics such as these as well as classroom presentations by some of the most knowledgeable and respected individuals in our profession have been and will continue to be the type of training CCAI will provide for our members and those attending our seminars.