Mr. Stephen M. Olenick has 25 years of experience in Fire Protection Engineering and Forensic Analysis with expertise in Fire and Explosion Investigation. He earned his BS and MS in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland and his MBA in General Business from Loyola University. Today, this expert is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator by the National Association of Fire...
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This expert has over years of experience in prescribed fire, controlled burns, wildfire, and smoke impacts to people, vegetation, and infrastructure. He earned his BS in plant science at Cameron University and his MS in range science at Texas Tech University. This expert is active in his field as a member of the Oklahoma Volunteer Fire Department, the Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils, and...
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Dr. Roger L. Schneider has 51 years of experience in the field of Chemical Engineering with a specialized focus in Fireworks and Hazardous Materials. He earned his Ph.D. in Physical Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. He completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Formerly, he served as a Contract Researcher at the U.S. Army Research,...
This expert is a member of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, California Council of EMS Educators, California Fire Chiefs, California EMS Educator/QI Group, and National Association of EMS Educators. He is currently the President and Education Program Director of a private EMT training center. He has 26 years of experience in Emergency Medical Services and 20+ years as an...
Mr. Peter J. Leiss has 22 years of experience in the field of Automotive Engineering and Accident Reconstruction. He earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Lawrence Technological University. Today, this expert is licensed as a Professional Engineer in Connecticut, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada,...
This licensed paramedic has over 37 years of EMS experience with 22 years in an administrative capacity. In addition, he has a plethora of certifications including EMS instructor, OSHA compliance instructor, and Emergency Vehicle Operator Instructor (EVOC). Finally, he has held several extremely prestigious EMS related positions including the Director of Emergency Management for Portland, CT...
Dr. Daniel T. Gottuk has 34 years of experience in Fire Detection, Fire Dynamics, and Forensics. He earned his BS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech. Today, this expert is licensed as a Professional Engineer in the states of Alabama, Rhode Island, and Maryland. Formerly, this expert served as the Senior Vice President of Advanced Solutions, and as Technical Director, Chief...
This expert has worked in the firearms and firearms training business for over 40 years in the military, specializing in Combat Tactics and Training, Marksmanship, and Small Arms Skill Development. He holds membership in a multitude of distinguished professional firearm organizations and has earned the prestigious U.S. Army Distinguished Badges for both Service Pistol and Service Rifle. This...
Dr. Joseph H. Romig has 47 years of experience in the field of Applied Physics and Engineering. He earned his BA in Physics from the University of Colorado Boulder and his MS in Plasma Physics from the University of Oxford. He also obtained his Ph.D. in Astrogeophysics from the University of Colorado Boulder. Today, this expert is a certified Vehicle Fire Investigator, Fire Investigation...
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This expert has been working with fire extinguishing systems for 40 years. He is a Registered Professional Engineer and holds membership in both the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and the National Fire Protection Association. He spent 15 years working for Ansul/Wormald, starting as a Development Engineer of fire suppression products and working his way up through the roles of Manufacturing...
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Dr. Timothy J. Myers has 23 years of experience in the field of Chemical Engineering. He earned his BS in Forest Resources from the University of Washington and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California Berkeley. Today, this expert is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator by the National Association of Fire Investigators. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer...
This engineer is an expert in the areas of fire causation and consumer product defects as well as construction materials and workmanship issues. He has specific expertise with installation and maintenance of household appliances including stoves and ovens. He belongs to a number of societies in the engineering field including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the National Academy...
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Dr. Mark J. Svare has 42 years of experience in Electrical Engineering. He earned his BEE in Electrical Power System and Biomedical Instrumentation from the University of Minnesota and his PhD in Science and Engineering from the University of Dundee. Today, this expert is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator through the National Association of Fire Investigators and a board certified...
This expert is a certified master electrician, commercial electrical inspector, licensed electrical contractor, and NEC expert. He also completed an OSHA 30 hour construction safety training course. He is a member of both the National Fire Protection Association and the International Association of Electrical Inspectors. He has spent multiple years as a foreman and journeyman electrician on...
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Mr. Shawn P. Ray has 32 years of experience in the field of Accident Reconstruction. He earned his AS in Mathematics and Natural Sciences from Fort Hays State University and both his BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University. Today, this expert is a certified Traffic Accident Reconstructionist, a certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, a certified Fire...
This highly qualified expert has 44+ years of experience in Structural and Wildland Firefighting, Emergency and Disaster Response, which includes from basic hand crew work and entry level firefighter, up to and including being Incident Commander on thousands of emergency incidents. For the past 37 years he has been an instructor and an educational designer, developing and instructing courses in...
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Mr. Erik M. Swonder has 20 years of experience in the fields of Electrical Engineering and Fire Investigation. He earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University and his MS in Electrical Engineering from Wayne State University. Today, this expert is a Certified Fire Investigator through the International Association of Arson Investigators. Additionally, he is licensed as a...
This expert brings 40+ years of electrical engineering experience to a continuing career in failure analysis and electrical fire investigations. In addition to his professional work for several industrial firms, he has taught these subjects at the Illinois Fire Academy., Wisconsin IAAI.
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Mr. Michael T. Burr has 17 years of experience in Materials Science. He earned his BS in Material Science and Engineering from Michigan State University and his MS in Material Science and Engineering from Wayne State University. Today, this expert is licensed as a Professional Engineer in the states of Michigan and New Jersey. He is also a Certified Fire Investigator through the International...
This expert has 25+ years of law enforcement experience, for the vast majority of which he served as a fire investigator for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A certified fire investigator with both the ATF and the International Association of Arson Investigators, he has consulted for police forces in countries such as Colombia and Latvia on arson investigation practices....
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What is the role of a fire expert witness in legal proceedings?
A fire expert witness provides specialized knowledge about fire causes, prevention, and safety. They can analyze evidence, reconstruct incidents, and provide credible testimony in court.
What types of cases does a fire expert witness typically handle?
Fire expert witnesses often work on cases involving arson, fire safety violations, insurance claims, wrongful death suits due to fires, and product liability cases related to fire hazards.
How can a fire expert witness help in an arson case?
In an arson case, a fire expert can determine the cause and origin of the fire, identify accelerants used, and testify about these findings in court.
Are there subspecialties within the field of fire expertise?
Yes, some experts specialize in areas like electrical fires, industrial fires, wildfire investigations, or fire protection engineering.
Why is it important to hire a certified fire investigator as an expert witness?
A certified investigator has undergone rigorous training and testing to prove their expertise. Their certification adds credibility to their analysis and testimony.
How does Expert Institute select its Fire expert witnesses?
Expert Institute offers a personalized approach to help you find the highest quality experts. We source actively-practicing professionals who match all your requirements for specialty areas, work experience, litigation history, fee range, certifications, location, and more.