ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Rock Island Fire Dept. recently added three new fire investigators to the team.
FF Brennan Kennedy, FF Paramedic Anthony Schooley, and FF Joel Wilford are the three members that were recently certified as fire investigators within the Rock Island Fire Dept. and the Fire Prevention Bureau.
In addition to their regular duties as firemen and paramedics, these new investigators will help figure out the origin and cause of fires in Rock Island.
"One of the most important things is we need them available to start an investigation quickly," RIFD Fire Marshal Greg Marty said. "You know, especially when it comes to arson, arson is a crime where the evidence is being consumed by the crime itself, you know, fire tends to consume the evidence of, you know, an intentionally set fire."
Fire Marshal Marty said the training process for investigator's is rigorous. He said they go through a 120 hour training program, over the course of eight weekends.
An intentional fire is also lit, so the investigator's can find the root cause.
"Because we do have a good team of investigators on each shift, regardless of the size of the fire, we always like an investigator to put their eyes on it and kind of put a stamp on it," Fire Marshal Marty said.
The Dept. has 10 fire investigators, and Marty said he likes to make sure there's three on each shift.
News 8's Charles Hart spoke with one the three newly certified investigators, FF Paramedic Anthony Schooley who said he couldn't pass up the opportunity.
"It is interesting, and is kind of something to be excited about when you can actually apply yourself, kind of try to be a little bit more of an asset to the community and more of an asset to the department," Schooley said.
Schooley also said fire service is a big aspect of his life.
Fire Marshal Marty said fire investigation is more of a science than one might think, because investigators work with police officers and engineers of all types to help validate the data found on a fire scene.
The Fire Dept. offers fire prevention and education classes to the general public. To learn more about those offerings click/tap here.
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