Cold Lake became the center for fire investigation training, hosting a series of courses that brought together fire investigators and subject matter experts from various sectors.
Participants included professionals from public and private agencies, the Government of Alberta, RCMP, Alberta Wildfire, and the insurance industry.
Fire Chief Jeff Fallow emphasized the importance of the event stating, “We had experts come in to teach photography from a forensic and crime scene perspective on what remains after a burn. It’s a valuable learning experience for Fire investigators from all over Alberta.”
The training included two key courses, Forensic Photography and Essentials of Fire Investigation. The Essentials course concluded with hands-on exercises, where investigators analyzed evidence from live burn scenarios staged by instructors. “We had some great fire scenarios that the instructors staged, and our firefighters extinguished,” said Fallow. “Then we go one step further and take a look at the evidence and fire patterns that are left behind after the fire is out, to determine the origin and cause of the fire.”
The event was hosted by Cold Lake Fire-Rescue and organized by the Fire Investigation Association of Alberta (FIAA). For more information about FIAA, visit there website.
