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J.T. Collier has 29 and a half years of experience in the fire service as a fire investigator, deputy fire marshal, firefighter/paramedic, toxicology paramedic and hazardous materials technician. In 2007 Mr. Collier co-founded Western States Fire Investigations, a company that specializes in fire/arson origin and cause investigations. Mr. Collier has investigated and determined the origin and cause of fires occurring in commercial structures, industrial sites, residential homes, restaurant occupancies, agricultural sites, recreational vehicles, commercial vehicles and automobiles. Mr. Collier has extensive training and experience in fire protection systems and inspection of those systems as an Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Mr. Collier is a Certified Fire Investigator IAAI-CFI, through the International Association of Arson Investigators and a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator NAFI-CFEI, through the National Association of Fire Investigators. Mr. Collier has been awarded the grade of Member (MIFireE) in the Institution of Fire Engineers, USA Branch. Mr. Collier also holds designation as an Evidence Collection Technician IAAI-ECT, through the International Association of Arson Investigators. He has over 1000 hours of classroom and practical instruction directly related to fire/arson investigations. Classes include interviews and interrogations, fire science/behavior, fire dynamics, fire chemistry, fire modeling, flammable liquids, fuel gases, fire origin and cause determination, electrical fire investigation, courtroom testimony, vehicle fire investigations, commercial kitchen suppression systems, and evidence collection/preservation. In addition to fire and arson investigation training, Mr. Collier is a certified hazardous materials technician with specialized training in hazardous materials, radiological materials, illicit drug laboratories, fuel gases, explosion scene investigation and weapons of mass destruction.

Areas of Expertise:

• Commercial, industrial and residential losses
• Hazardous materials
• Fire code