The West Virginia Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators presents the 2015 West Virginia Fire Investigation Conference on October 19 and 20, 2015 in Beckley, West Virginia Identifying and Examining Youth Firesetters and Bomb-Makers and Fire Pattern Formation and Persistence
GUEST INSTRUCTORS JESSICA F. GOTTHOLD Senior Special Agent, CFI, CES Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives United States Department of Justice Identifying and Examining Youth Firesetters and Bomb-Makers The primary objectives of this class are to assist students in the identification and understanding of youth firesetters and bomb-makers, as well as motivations for these crimes. This is especially important for fire and law enforcement investigators who come into contact with juvenile offenders. The classroom topics will include characteristics and typologies of youth firesetters and bombmakers; the impact of societal changes on youth and young adults; the cause and effect relationship as it relates to youth firesetting, bomb-making, and desensitization to violence. Understanding the root causes of these violent acts leads to more successful case outcomes and prevention programs. Since becoming a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in 1987, Special Agent Gotthold s responsibilities have included the enforcement of the federal firearms, explosives and arson laws. Since 1990, her specific area of concentration has been in the field of fire and explosives investigations. Between 1990 and January 2000, she was appointed and served as a member of the ATF National Response Team. As a member of the team, Agent Gotthold responded to large-scale bombings and fire scenes primarily in the throughout the country. Some of the more notable cases include the 1988 abortion clinic bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, for which Eric Rudolf was responsible; the 1993 World Trade Center bombing investigation in which S/A Gotthold was the ATF evidence technician; and the 1994 Unabomber crime scene investigation of a fatal bombing in North Caldwell, New Jersey, which claimed the life of prominent advertising executive Thomas Moser. In 1991 Special Agent Gotthold became certified as an ATF Explosives Specialist, allowing her to teach and demonstrate how explosives work, how to investigate a bombing, and to destroy explosives evidence when case are adjudicated. In 1994 she was accepted into the ATF Certified Fire Investigator program, one of the requirements being the investigation of 100 fires within the two-year program. Prior to obtaining the ATF CFI certification in 1996, Agent Gotthold received certification as a Fire Investigator in the State of New York, Levels I and II. Since 1996 Special Agent Gotthold has testified as an expert witness in the area of fire origin and cause, in both criminal and civil judicial proceedings, on the state and federal levels. Additionally, she has testified as an expert witness in the area of explosives and post blast investigations, in criminal court proceedings in New York State. In 2002, Agent Gotthold was invited to be a member of the Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Specialist Task Group, a subcommittee of the National Fire Protection Association s 1035 Committee, the Standard for Professional Qualifications for Public Fire and Life Safety Educator. Subsequently, Special Agent Gotthold became a full voting member of the NFPA 1035 Committee. In 2004, Agent Gotthold was recommended to become a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) Juvenile Firesetter Committee s Task Group, which was formed to create a
train-the-trainer program for fire and police investigators who come into contact with juvenile firesetters. In February of 2004, Special Agent Gotthold published an article entitled, Not My Child: The Danger in Overlooking Juvenile Firesetting, in the Winter 2004 Edition of Hot Issues. This publication is produced by the Oregon State Fire Marshal s Office, and distributed throughout the U.S., Canada and England. In May of 2004, Special Agent Gotthold was assigned the task of coordinating all of ATF s explosives personnel for the Republican National Convention in New York. It was the largest contingent of ATF support to date for a major special event. In October of 2004, Agent Gotthold was invited to become a member of the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety s Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Committee. In 2009, Special Agent Gotthold received the Director s Internal Award, the highest award an ATF employee can get, for her extensive work in the field of juvenile firesetting and bomb-making. Since 2011 Agent Gotthold has been teaching a class on behalf of ATF on Juvenile Firesetting and Arson for the FBI National Academy at Quantico, VA. In 2012, Agent Gotthold was invited to participate as a member of a panel of experts in the creation and evaluation of a national juvenile firesetter database. This project is sponsored by the International Association of Fire Fighters. Presently SACFI Gotthold is one of several experts developing two distance learning segments (as well as a revised version of the residential class) involving investigation of youth firesetting for the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) online educational tool, CFITrainer.net. CHAD D. CAMPANELL Special Agent, CFI Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives United States Department of Justice Fire Pattern Formation and Persistence This program is an advanced analysis lecture of the formation of fire patterns through an understanding of compartment fire growth. This class will utilize a number of burn cells, designed to simulate a variety of rooms in a normal residence. These burn cells will provide the students with hands-on experience, as well as a first-hand view of the fire patterns. Special Agent Campanell is currently assigned as a Special Agent Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) to ATF Falls Church I (Arson) Field Office in Falls Church, VA, which covers Washington, DC and Northern Virginia. He completed the ATF Certified Fire Investigator training program in May, 2012. SA Campanell is a part-time National Response Team (NRT) Member. The NRT is composed of veteran Special Agents having post-blast and fire origin and cause expertise. The NRT works with state and local investigators at major fire and explosion scenes across the United States. He is currently engaged in compartment fire pattern analysis research. This project began in January 2011 and is ongoing. He currently is engaged in training state and local fire investigators in the analysis of compartment fire patterns and other fire investigation related topics.
His work experience includes, 2010 - Present: ATF - Special Agent Certified Fire Investigator (Falls Church Group I - Washington, DC / Northern Virginia). His duties include supporting ATF s work to resolve and prevent fire-related crimes; is a primary resource in fire and fire investigation-related matters; investigates violent crimes of arson and arson-for-profit; conducts fire scene examinations; makes fire origin and cause determinations; provides expert testimony; and conducts training for ATF Special Agents and other Federal, state and local fire and law enforcement agencies. 2008-2010: ATF Special Agent Project Officer (Arson and Explosives Enforcement Branch Washington, DC). He provided logistical and administrative support to ATF s Certified Fire Investigators; worked as a Certified Explosives Specialist, served on both National Response Team and International Response Team Programs. 2000-2008: ATF Special Agent (New Haven Field Office, Philadelphia Group I, Hartford Field Office) where he conducted investigations of violations relating to explosives, firearms, arson, and prepared criminal investigative case reports. His fire service experience includes, 2008-2015: Volunteer Firefighter (Laurel Volunteer Fire Department Prince George s County, Laurel, MD); 2007-2008: Volunteer Firefighter (Plainville Volunteer Fire Company Hartford County, Plainville, CT); 1994-2001: Volunteer Firefighter (Mount Ephraim Volunteer Fire Department Camden County, Mount Ephraim, NJ). Research Conducted: Since January 2011, Special Agent CFI Campanell has conducted over 350 controlled compartment fires and has spent over a thousand hours studying fire growth, fire behavior and the resultant fire patterns. Campanell continues his research on fire patterns on a monthly basis at the National Fire Academy and other locations throughout the United States. Awards: Commonwealth of Virginia Valor Award for Investigative Merit Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Investigation (2014). Included in the Congressional Record from Proceedings and Debates of the 113 th Congress, Second Session and a Letter of Recognition from United States Senator Mark R. Warner ATF Special Act or Service Award (2010). New England Law Enforcement Officers Association Award (2008). United States Attorney s Office Award (2003).
Seminar and Host Hotel Country Inn and Suites Mountaineer Conference Center 2120 Harper Road Beckley, West Virginia Hotel Phone 304-252-5100 Reservation Line 800-456-4000 Call for special room rates and refer to the Fire Investigator s Conference to secure your room discount.
SEMINAR REGISTRATION Due to time constraints with the evaluation of the burn cells, this class is strictly limited to the first 100 students. This is a tested course for points toward IAAI-CFI Certification. Application has been made for sixteen hours of non-supervisory Law Enforcement in-service training credit. Registration Fees $150.00 IAAI members $175.00 for non-members (Includes one year Chapter membership dues) $75.00 for Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, Fire Science students This is a tested course for points toward IAAI-CFI Certification. Application has been made for sixteen hours of non-supervisory Law Enforcement in-service training credit. Name: Address: Organization: Telephone: E-mail: Seminar Contacts: Joe Crist 304-574-1610 Jeremy Bryant 304-675-0256 Bob Sullivan 304-562-1684 O. G. Garrison 330-204-2255 Return registration form with payment to: West Virginia Chapter IAAI Post Office Box 1218 Scott Depot, West Virginia 25560 Tax ID: 55-0720669 www.wviaai.org