PROFESSIONAL
SUMMARY
- Over
twenty-nine years experience in the fire service with the San
Diego Fire Department
- Over ten
years private investigation experience with Fred Herrera Fire
Investigations & EFI Global
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1998
to
present FRED
HERRERA FIRE INVESTIGATIONS
San Diego, California
Owner,
Certified Fire Investigator
1999
to 2006
ENGINEERING & FIRE INVESTIGATIONS
Los Angeles,
California
Certified Fire Investigator
1989 to
present
METRO ARSON STRIKE TEAM, SDFD
San Diego,
California
Fire Captain, Certified Fire Investigator
1981 to
present
SAN DIEGO FIRE DEPARTMENT
San Diego,
California
Fire Captain, Fire Engineer, Firefighter
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified
Fire Investigator #22-007 (IAAI-CFI), IAAI (10/12)
Certified
Fire and Explosion Investigator #5682-1606 (expired),
(CFEI), NAFI
Certified
Fire Investigator #41536 (CFI), NFPA / NBFSPQ
Certified
Fire Investigator #513 (CCAI-CFI), CCAI (4-10)
Certified
Fire Investigator I #880793 (CFI), CSFM
Certified
Fire Investigator II #870063 (CFI), CSFM
Certified
Fire Officer, #013210 CSFM
Certified
Firefighter I #019428, CSFM
Certified
Firefighter II #006952, CSFM
Certified
Fire Instructor I #092216, CSFM
Licensed Private
Investigator #20635, BSIS
SPECIALIZED EDUCATION
Fire
Science A.S. Degree
Fire
Investigation 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 160 hours, California State Fire
Marshal
Advanced
Origin & Cause, 80 hours, ATF National
Academy
Arson
Crime Scene Investigation, 40 hours, FBI National
Academy
Fire
/ Arson Investigation, 80 hours, National Fire
Academy
Fire
& Explosion Investigation, 24 hours, John DeHaan, Department
of Justice
Fire
Investigation, John DeHaan, 16 hours, California Association of
Criminalists
Vehicle
Fire Investigation, 40 hours, Lee Cole &
Associates
Electrical
Fire Investigation, 24 hours, PATC
Fire
Pattern Certification, 24 hours, PATC
Fire
Origin & Cause; NFPA 921, 24 hours,
PATC
Interview
& Interrogation Techniques, 40 hours,
BATI
CFI
Trainer; 18 programs, 67 hours, IAAI
IAAI
/ CCAI seminars
SDPD
Academy
/ Peace Officer status / PC 832
PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
International Association of Arson Investigators
(IAAI)
California Conference of Arson
Investigators (CCAI)
· Ex
Officio Board Member / San Diego County Roundtable Coordinator
2000-2004
· Awards
Committee Chair 2001-2005
·
Marketing Committee Chair & Legislation Committee member
2001-2003
COURSES
INSTRUCTED
Fire Behavior & Combustion,
Fire Investigation 1B, San Diego Community College
Fire Investigation,
Internet-based, Santa Fe City College
First Responder Fire Investigation, Firehouse World
Exposition & Conference
Arson Laws, Firehouse World Exposition &
Conference
Origin & Cause for Company Officers, Firehouse World
Exposition & Conference
Evidence Collection, Firehouse World Exposition &
Conference
Basic Fire Investigation, ATF Regional
Training
NFPA 921 Issues, FBI National
Academy
Vehicle Fraud Fires, California District Attorney’s
Association
Fire Investigation, San Diego Fire
Academy
Fire Investigation, San Diego Fire
Cadet
Academy
Fire Investigation / Evidence Preservation, San Diego
Fire-Rescue In-Service Training
Physical Evidence, San Diego
Regional Law Enforcement
Academy
Arson Laws, San Diego Regional Law
Enforcement Academy
Fire Investigations, SDPD / MAST Menu
Training
Fire Investigation, IABPF Southwest Regional Spring
Conference
Fire
Investigation; Evidence, Spoliation & Subrogation, Auto Club of
Southern
California
Fire Investigation, AON Risk Management, Department of
Insurance
Public Records / Fire Department Reports,
CCAI
Live Burn Training, CCAI
Basic Fire Investigation, CCAI
Imperial County Roundtable
Fire Investigator Professional
Development, CCAI San Diego Roundtable
Chain of Custody, San Diego
Lifeguards
Evidence Collection, Chula Vista
Fire Department
LEGAL TESTIMONY
Expert Witness/Investigating
Officer, Superior/Municipal Court, Board of Prison Terms
(32)
Public and Private Sector deposition / trial testimony
(21)
ARTICLES PUBLISHED
Potential
Fire Causes
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator (6/06)
First
Responder Fire Investigations
Firehouse
Magazine (2/06)
Investigation
of Boat Fires
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator
(1/05)
Digital
Investigations
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator
(10/04)
Firesetting
Motives
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator
(1/04)
Fire
Behavior Myths &
Misconceptions
ExpertLaw.Com
(09/03)
Investigative
Uses for Alarm Systems
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator (06-03)
Vehicle
Identification Numbers (VIN)
101
IAAI’s
Fire & Arson Investigator
(07/03)
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator
(03/03)
Practical
Uses of Failure Analysis and Analytical
Tools,
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator
(12/02)
ExpertLaw.Com
(09/03)
Passenger
Compartment Vehicle Fires; Incendiary or
Undetermined?,
IAAI's
Hawaii Chapter Newsletter (02/08)
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator
(10/02)
ExpertLaw.Com
(09/03)
Fourth
Amendment Rights of Fire
Victims,
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator (01/02)
ExpertLaw.Com
(09/03)
SDCDA’s
LEQ (Winter
2003)
Testing
the Fire Cause Hypothesis,
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator (11-01),
EFI’s
Insights (Fall
2002)
Ignition
Handbook, reference 1693, V. Babrauskas,
Respiratory
Protection for Fire
Investigators,
IAAI’s
Fire & Arson Investigator (10/01)
Ashes
of Aries, Fire behavior expert consultant
(Fiction
novel), St.
Martin’s
Press, (09/01)
“Red
Flags” Indicators of Vehicle Fraud
Fires,
SDIAA’s
The Adjuster (11/03)
ExpertLaw.Com
(09/03)
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator (05/01),
WeTip
Quarterly Magazine (06/01)
EFI’s
Insights, edited (Summer
2001)
Arson
Registrants; Y2K changes to PC 457,
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator (01/00),
SDCDA’s
LEQ (Spring/Summer
2000)
Evidence
Collection, Preservation & Disposal,
IAAI’s
Fire & Arson Investigator (07/99)
California
Arson Registration Program,
CCAI’s
California
Fire-Arson Investigator (04/99)
First Responder Newspaper; Arson Investigation
Column
First Responder Fire Investigations (4-03),
Investigative Uses for Alarm Systems (5-03),
California Arson Registrants (6-03),
Fire Behavior Myths & Misconceptions (9-03),
Passenger Compartment Vehicle Fires (11-03),
Firesetting Motives (1-04),
Fourth Amendment Rights of Fire Victims (6-04),
Analysis of Fire Cause (7-04),
NFPA 921 (8-04),
Digital Investigations (9/10-04),
Courtroom Testimony (11/12-04),
Multiple Fire Causes (1-05),
Investigative Resources (2-05),
Expert Qualification (3-05),
Evidence Collection (4-05),
Forensic Fire Investigation (6-05),
Ford Cruise Control Fires (7-05),
Electrical Fire Causes (8-05),
Investigation of Boat Fires
(9/10-05),
Potential Fire Causes (11-05),
Digital Photography (1-06),
Metropolitan Grass Fire Investigations
(3-06),
Spontaneous Combustion (4-06),
Private Investigators (5-06),
Public Insurance Adjusters (6-06),
The
Scientific Method for Fire Investigations
(8-06).
