The F.I.R.E.
Certification Program

The focus of the F.I.R.E. Service is to provide a formal and standardized evaluation system for identifying and recognizing those individuals who have the minimum professional training, education and experience to inspect, investigate fire and explosion incidents and/or participate in the civil and criminal litigation which ensues from such inspection, investigations and analyses. Certification by F.I.R.E. Service and the IAFCI Examination Board is achieved by participating in forty-eight hours of intensive training, an additional five to ten hours of mandatory homework, and the subsequent successful completion of the F.I.R.E. Certification Exam. Through this process, the successful applicant demonstrates to the F.I.R.E. Service and the IAFCI Examination Board that he/she has met the minimum requirements and possesses the minimum professional training, tested education and experience mandated by the F.I.R.E. Certification Program. While certification by the F.I.R.E. Service and the IAFCI Examination Board does not, in and of itself, qualify an applicant as an investigator or expert witness for purposes of civil and criminal litigation, applicants have historically utilized the certification as a significant foundation for attaining such recognition and designation in the courtroom.

History of the F.I.R.E.
Certification Program

The forty-eight hour training program, text book, power point presentations, and F.I.R.E. Certification Exam were original authored by Dale W. Feb and Jim Farmer. These live documents were first developed over a three year period starting in 1997. The certification program was officially open for education in January 2000. Since this date, the program has been updated and improved upon on a regular basis. These updates and improvements have included changes within the building codes, new information from the manufacturers, scientific information, photographs and detailed information from inspections sites and fire scenes. These improvements have included the assistance of the F.I.R.E. Education Development Committee (F.I.R.E. EDC) founded in 2004. This input was provided by experienced professionals active within the resale, inspection and investigation divisions of the hearth and venting industry. These professionals represent an industry sample from across the United States, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Colorado and California. This process has produced a detailed and Professional Educational Program like no other within this industry. This unique program has experienced great success and provided the necessary information to build your business.