Western Service Center
Karl F. Kolodzik, IAAI-CFI
Senior Fire Investigator
Highland, California
909-353-5219
kkolodzik@uis-usa.com
EDUCATION:
East High School
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Wisconsin State University
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
BS degree; Communications/ Chemistry
Harvard University
Boston, Massachusetts
Labor Negotiations
Chaffey College
Alta Loma, California
Fire Science Academy
San Bernardino Valley College
San Bernardino, California
Fire Science
Crafton Hills College
Yucaipa, California
Fire Science Certification
Updated 12/2015
EMPLOYMENT:
Unified Investigations & Sciences
Special Investigator
August 2012- Present
Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc.
Fire Consultant
June 2011- May 2012
Unified Investigations & Sciences
Special Investigator
November 2006- June 2011
Morongo Fire Department
Fire Chief
Banning, California
2002-2006
California Speedway
Fire Safety Specialist
Fontana, California
1998-2006
Rialto, Fire Department
Rialto, California
Fire Captain
1972-2000
Kerr/McKee Chemical Corporation
Trona, California
Chemical Analysis Technician
1970-1971
SPECIALIZED TRAINING:
•
Southern California Fraud Investigators Association Certificate of Completion, 16 hours,
November 4-6, 2015
•
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, 1 hour, tested,
June 29, 2015
•
Forensic Photography (NFPA 1033 & 921) 6 hours, tested June 4, 2015
•
Asbestos Awareness Refresher Course, 2 hours, tested, February 27, 2015
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SPECIALIZED TRAINING (CONT.):
•
921 Solid-Fuel & Gas-Burning Appliances, 8 hours, tested, February 5, 2015
•
Fire Modeling/Critical Thinking, CCAI Conference, 20 hours, tested; November 10-12,
2014
•
Vehicle Fire Training; Anaheim Drill Tower; CCAI, 4 hours; tested, October 9, 2014
•
Asbestos Awareness, Bay Area Governments, 2 hours, tested, April 1, 2014
•
The Changing Severity of Home Fires, 2 hours, June 14, 2013
•
Physical examination with Respirator Clearance; asbestos work, April 2013
•
CCAI Certificate of Training, 20 Hours, Fire/ Arson Investigation techniques, March
2013, tested
•
Qualitative Fit test, asbestos APR respirator, March 2013
•
8 Hour HAZWOPER Refresher course; asbestos exposure training, September 2012,
tested
•
California Conference of Arson Investigators (CCAI) Certificate of Training, 4 Hours in
gas dryer fire investigation, August 2012, tested
•
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) Certificate of Training. 40 Hours,
May 2011, tested
•
CCAI Certificate of Training, 20 Hours, Fire/ Arson Investigation techniques, November
2010, tested
•
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) – CFITrainer.net
o ARC Mapping Basics, 4 hours, September 2012
o Flashover Fires, 4 hours, April 200
o Ventilation-Focused Approach to the Impact of Building Structures and Systems on
Fire Development, 4 hours, April, 2009
o The Scientific Method for Fire and Explosion Investigation, 3 hours, February 2009
o Vacant and Abandoned Buildings: Hazards and Solutions, 4 hours, April, 2009
o Managing Complex Fire Scene Investigations, 4 hours, April 2009
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SPECIALIZED TRAINING (CONT.):
•
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) – CFITrainer.net
o Investigating Fatal Fires, 4 hours, April 2009
o Understanding Fire through the Candle Experiments, 4 hours, 2009
o Physical Evidence at the Fire Scene, 4 hours, April 2009
o Critical Thinking Solves Cases, 4 hours, April, 2009
o Introduction to Evidence, 4 hours, April 2009
o Insurance and the Fire Investigation, April, 2009
o Investigating Motor Vehicle Fires, 4 hours, April, 2009
o Fire Investigator Scene Safety, 3 hours, April 2009
o An Analysis of the Station Nightclub Fire, 4 hours, April 2009
o The Scientific Method for Fire and Explosion Investigation, 3 hours, April 2009
o Digital Photography and the Fire Investigator, 4 hours, April 2009
o Ethics and the Fire Investigator, 3 hours, April 2009
o Documenting the Event, 4 hours, April 2009
o MagneTek: A Case Study in the Daubert Challenge, 2 hours, April 2009
o Introduction to Fire Dynamics and Modeling, 4 hours, April 2009
o Fire Dynamics Calculations, 4 hours, April 2009
•
IAAI-CFI Expert Witness class, 24 hours on witness stand, April, 2009, tested
•
CCAI Certificate of Training, 20 hours of 921 case studies, November 2008, tested
•
National Wildland/ Urban Interface Fire Training, Keller, Washington, April 2006, tested
•
U.S. Forest Service, Assessing wildfire Hazards, April, 2006, tested
•
California State Fire Marshal, ICS-300, Intermediate ICS, January, 2006
4
SPECIALIZED TRAINING (CONT.):
•
California State Fire Marshall, ICS-330, Taskforce/ Strike Team Management,
November, 2006
•
The Gas Company, Natural Gas Safety/ Fire Dynamics, April, 2006
•
NFPA Fire Alarm Code Seminar, 36 hours, February, 2006
•
NFPA Managing Fire & Life Safety Seminar, 36 hours, February, 2006
•
California State Training Institute, Arson investigation protocols/ techniques, 40 hours,
March 2005
•
State Fire Marshal, Fire Control III, Instruction on single/ multiple dwelling fires, 40
hours, February, 2005
•
Emergency Fire Management, High rise fires as it pertains to fire investigation, March,
2004
•
California State Training Institute, Fire/ Arson investigation Techniques, April, 1998
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Evidence collection
procedures, June, 1994
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Behavioral Analysis
Interview, June 1986
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Trial Procedures, February,
1984
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Advanced Wildland Fire
Investigation, May 1984
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Incendiary Devices,
October, 1983
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Appliance fires, August,
1983
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Personality Profiles &
Interviewing Techniques, May, 1983
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, SLR & Video Camera
Operation for the Fire Investigator, February, 1983
5
SPECIALIZED TRAINING (CONT.):
•
San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, Vehicle Fire Investigation,
June, 1982
•
State Fire Marshall, State Certified Fire Investigator, March, 1982
•
Chaffey College, Assessment Labs for Fire Evidence, May, 1981
•
Department of the Army, Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance, May, 1978
•
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Training Division, Laws of Arrest P.C. 832, June, 1974
•
Vehicle Fire Investigations, January, 1988
•
Automatic Sprinkler Systems, September, 2003
•
Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance, U.S. Army, Rialto, CA
•
Incendiary Devices Training, October, 1983
EXPERIENCE:
My qualifications include extensive experience in residential, commercial, and high rise
fire investigations along with fires with special circumstances; i.e. hazardous materials
fires and explosives. 24 of my 34 years in public safety were spent performing Fire/
Arson investigations. I have been a certified Hazardous Materials Specialist with the State
of California since 1985. I was first certified as an expert witness in 1987 and have
testified in both San Bernardino and San Diego County Superior courts.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
International Association of Arson Investigators, February 2007
National Association of Fire Investigators, September 2009
California Conference of Arson Investigators, May, 2008
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
San Diego Insurance Adjusters Association (SDIAA)
San Bernardino County Fire/Arson Investigators Association, March, 1982-Present
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CERTIFICATIONS:
Certified Fire Investigator, International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI-CFI)
September 2009, certification #22-081813
Certified Fire & Explosion Investigators, National Association of Fire Investigators
(NAFI) September 2009, certification #14910-7774
California Conference of Arson Investigators (CCAI – CFI); May 2008, certification #634
Certified Fire/ Arson Investigator, California; March 1982
COURT QUALIFICATIONS:
Expert witness in Fire Origin and Cause: Superior Courts
Throughout California, since 1987.
Deposition: San Diego Construction- vs.- Rialto Unified School District,
July 1987; Merit oil –vs. -State of California, February 1991
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