CCAI-70-WEB-cl
image image image image image image

SAVE THE DATE

CCAI October 21-24

Fire Investigation Training Seminar

 

Watch the video


CLICK HERE

From Out of the Abyss...

This week’s article from the past is titled Incendiary Fires Can Be Spotted and was written by Benjamin Horton, CPCU, who was President of the National Adjuster Traing School in Louisville, Kentucky..  It is taken from the Decembe 1968 Vol. XVI No.5 issue.

Incendiary Fires Can Be Spotted 

In the new issue of NFPA Journal®, President Jim Shannon said the Association will focus on the leading causes of home fires, including cooking. "We also need to continue to push hard for home fire sprinklers. That's still a large priority for NFPA, and we plan to work very aggressively in 2014 on our residential sprinkler initiative," he said.

Read more...

From the Danish Journal of Archaeology

Abstract

During excavations of the Viking-age ring fortress Borgring, Denmark, traces of a devastating fire was uncovered. The National Forensic Services of the Danish Police were invited to participate in a novel collaboration, applying contemporary forensic fire investigation to an archaeological site. This paper presents the results and sets a benchmark for future applications. The investigation leads to a revised reconstruction of the fortress and the development of the fire. The application of fire investigation methods, following the Daubert standard criteria, enhance the documentation and analysis of archaeological sites, while archaeological methods show significant potential at modern fire scenes.

Read more...

BY VYTO BABRAUSKAS

SHOCK, INJURY, OR DEATH {ELECTROCUTION) from the passage of electric current through a human body has been studied for more than a century. The level of response or injury depends on the magnitude of the current and also on the frequency, whether it is direct current (DC), power line alternating current (AC), or AC voltages of higher frequency. Some typical values are shown in Table 1.1 Children are generally more sensitive than adults; thus, guidelines often assume that a child is the person to be protected. With firefighting, however, this assumption is not reasonable. Furthermore, protection against a startle reaction is the most severe level of protection. A startle reaction is described as one in which a person jumps because of a small shock that does not injure the person. No direct electrical injury occurs because of startling; there is some hazard caused by jumping, but it is remote.

The "inability to let go" of an energized conductor that has been accidentally grabbed can cause pain and injury if the current increases to an injurious level. This is also called "muscle tetanization." Thus. Many safety requirements are based on a safety-factor-reduced value of the let-go current, even though this is quite a conservative stance. Matters are further complicated. Since individuals show variation in their responses and standards, bodies typically pick a very conservative level (often the 0.5 percentile) instead of the 50-percentile value. Physiological effects of electric current, furthermore, depend strongly on frequency. The most dangerous frequencies are the 50- or 60-Herz (Hz) power line frequencies. The human body becomes less sensitive to electric current at high frequencies.2 Dalziel3 has published a useful summary of safety guidance on electric shock.

Read more...

Tom Campuzano Memorial Scholarship

tomc2Tom Campuzano, our good friend and a dedicated California Conference of Arson Investigators Board member, passed away in 1999.  Tom served on the Board of Directors for CCAI from 1995 until his passing.  He became very active during the 1995 IAAI Conference, which was hosted by CCAI in the City of Los Angeles.  He had decided, after much persuasion, to work his way through the chairs in CCAI.  He had announced that he would accept the nomination for the office of Second Vice President, which he would have assumed in January of 2000 in San Luis Obispo.

Shortly after his passing, the Board of Directors established the "Tom Campuzano Memorial Scholarship Fund." The goal of the fund is to promote, recognize, and foster dedicated service in the field of Fire Investigation. The fund will be financed through donations, with a recurring donation of $1,000 per year by Attorney Sandy Burnette.

This notice is being posted in hopes that some in-need fire investigator out there may be interested in attending the next CCAI Conference, compliments of the Tom Campuzano Memorial Scholarship Fund. The CCAI Board of Directors will award a $500.00 scholarship for each seminar to a worthy investigator who may not otherwise be able to attend either of the semi-annual seminars.

"CAMPY" Scholarship applicants can be either public or private fire investigators. Applicants must provide documentation indicating that their employer does not have funding available for the conference. "Campy" scholarships are limited to one awardee per conference. The "Campy" scholarship award is $500. This scholarship funding can be applied toward:

1) Membership registration (if not a current member)
2) Conference registration
3) Hotel lodging
4) Meal expenses
5) Travel expenses

Go here to print and fill out the application .

Please contact me with regard to any questions, comments or suggestions.

Respectfully,

Tom Pierce
Chairperson Scholarship Committee
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Banner

Location

1279 North White Avenue
Pomona, California 91768
Phone:  (909) 865-5004
Fax (909) 865-5024
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday

Disclaimer

This is the official website of the California Conference of Arson Investigators.

The information published on this website... more...