The guest on episode 4 was Ryan McCulloch, a fire captain and fire investigator, who shared his experience preparing for a jury trial involving a fire started by a transient person and causing fire damage to a concrete sidewalk. He detailed the challenges he faced, including the defense citing and questioning specifics from Kirk's Fire Investigation, like concrete discoloration caused by the fire, biases, and more. Ryan explained how he utilized AI to prepare for questioning on certain sections of NFPA 921 and emphasized the importance of paying attention to objections during his testimony. The hosts also covered Ryan's transition from working in fire suppression to becoming an investigator. The word of the day, "saponification," was defined and used in a sentence related to commercial kitchen fires, and a new "phrase" of the episode was given. The episode teased an interview with an author of Kirk's Fire Investigation for the next episode.

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In this episode, hosts Scott Kuhlman and Chasity Owens changed their format to answer listener questions and clarify the fundamentals of fire investigation for their growing audience spanning 21 countries. Chasity shared a personal story about fracturing her toe while trying to help a cat. The hosts go into explaining the systematic approach related to fire investigation, which involves following the scientific method to examine fire scenes in a consistent manner that can withstand legal challenges. They discussed the importance of properly conducting "dig outs" and "delayering" to remove debris and document evidence. They bring AI in to discuss if delayering is even a word and discover that the wide known term is actually "layer by layer". Report writing was highlighted as crucial for thoroughly documenting investigations. The hosts explained the roles of industry associations IAAI, the state chapters, and NAFI and the certifications they offer. Chasity shared an interesting case where she found a "million-dollar" piece. A new segment was introduced to explain unusual fire investigation terminology, tune in to find out the word for this week. Thank you all for listening! Keep the questions coming. Don't forget to Subscribe, Follow, Like, and Share! Those are all free ways to help us reach a broader audience and support the podcast.

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Upcoming training and resources:
In-depth analysis of NFPA 921 2024 edition webinar
https://www.llrmi.com/webinar-detail/?eventid=29715

New York Annual Spring Seminar
https://nyfireinvestigators.org/2024-spring-training/

Michigan Arson School
https://www.michiganiaai.org/upcoming-events

Nebraska IAAI 54th Annual Fire and Arson Conference
https://www.nebraskaiaai.org/training/

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If you enjoyed the episode hit the follow button and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere you are listening in from.

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Instagram: @infocus_podcast
LinkedIn: INFOCUS podcast
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Scott and Chasity discuss positive feedback from their first episode and meeting listeners at the IAAI-ITC conference in Las Vegas. Highlights from IAAI-ITC include record attendance, engaging training classes, and favorite events like The Sphere and Penn & Teller show.

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Key training takeaways emphasize the importance of systematic investigation, recognizing fire damage may be worse away from an elevated origin, and how Chasity applied her training while unexpectedly teaching alongside expert Steve Carman.

Chasity shares a case study where her Molotov cocktail training allowed her to discover critical evidence initially missed in a church fire, underlining the value of continuing education. The hosts mention upcoming training opportunities such as conferences in Arkansas and Montana, free National Fire Academy courses, California's Fire Investigation Academy, and online resources like CFItrainer.net & DCARI.

In conclusion, Scott and Chasity stress the importance of having knowledgeable colleagues to consult on investigations. They give a shout-out to the CSI On Fire Podcast, tease an upcoming appearance on The Fire Break Podcast, and provide a link to referenced fire pattern studies below.

Instagram- @infocus_podcast

LinkedIn- INFOCUS Podcast

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Steve Carman Z-Factor Case Study- https://carmanfireinvestigations.com/publications/

Drop Box Link to Fire Pattern Case Studies- https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hi81lzzp8gfzs6o/AADklhX64TMRN2wCc4HQgTpHa?dl=0

National Fire Academy- https://www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa/

Free online training:

IAAI CFI Trainer- cfitrainer.net

DCARI Dane County Arson Response Initiative- dcariwi.org

Thank you for listening!

If you enjoyed the episode hit the follow button and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere you are listening in from.

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Instagram: @infocus_podcast
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Support INFOCUS podcast by purchasing Fire Dept Coffee using the hyperlink below!:
alnk.to/6mPm2oj and use code INFOCUS for 10% off.