The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s State Fire Marshal’s Office, along with Mid-State Technical College and the Stevens Point Fire Department, is holding its fifth annual Basic Fire Investigation certification class in Stevens Point from September 15 to 26.
The 10-day training is the only accredited fire investigation course in Wisconsin and provides law enforcement and fire service professionals with skills to determine fire origins, identify arson, and properly collect evidence.
Attorney General Josh Kaul says the training strengthens the state’s ability to investigate fires. Mid-State Technical College’s Rick Anderson calls it a key collaboration between fire and law enforcement, while Stevens Point Fire Chief Jb Moody says the partnership has built a core group of highly trained fire investigators.
Over the past four years, the State Fire Marshal’s office has assisted in more than 300 investigations statewide, with about one in four determined to be arson.
The class accepts 24 students each year—half from fire service, half from law enforcement—and covers topics ranging from building construction and fire dynamics to courtroom testimony and live burn demonstrations.
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