About Us

“In 2013, after 32 years, I retired from the Marin County Fire Department and closed the public service chapter of my Fire Service Career. My love and passion of the Fire Service did not end, and I looked for the next chapter that would allow me to continue studying fire science and maintain contact with the fire service. August of 2014, I consulted on my first private fire investigation. The experience highlighted for me the need for detailed, scientific, analytical fire investigation services beyond the initial scene inspection and preliminary report.“

  • Keith Parker

Education and Experience:

  • Marin County Fire Marshal, 5- year assignment
  • PC 831 Peace Officer
  • County Fire Investigation Team, 20 years
  • NAFI – CFEI #3488-322

    Ca. State Fire Training & Education System:
    • Chief Officer
    • Maste Instructor
    • Fire Investigator
    • Public Education Officer

      Wildland Fire Education:
    • S490 – Advanced Fire Behavior
    • S420 Command and General Staff
    • S-404 Safety Officer
    • CDF – Incident Management 3
    • CDF – Advanced Officer (LE)

      Incident Command System (ICS) Training
    • 400 – Advanced ICS for Command
    • 403 – Information Officer
    • 401 Safety Officer

PFSC has assisted clients with over 100 cases since inception.  Matters have ranged from relatively small fires to the historic, California complex, “MEGA” vegetation fires in 2017 and 2018 as well as high profile multi fatality commercial structure fires. We assisted a large Municipal Landowner with a successful serial arson investigation.  We work with Law Firms of all sizes on fire related litigation matters from California to Oklahoma and Alaska. 

We have developed a number of custom training presentations for utility workers, government groups and trade associations pertaining to first responder or first on scene information gathering.

Collaboration and relationships are a key to success. We have established quality professional relationships with many subject matter experts, technical service providers and fellow independent origin and cause investigators.  Large and or complex matters often require additional top-quality investigators and specialty resources. We can recommend experts and are always happy to work with our clients own experts to build a team to meet the needs of the case.

My Fire Service Journey:

I was hired as a Seasonal Fire Fighter by the Marin County Fire Department. Through the years I moved through the ranks to Fire Apparatus Engineer, Captain, Fire Marshal – Battalion Chief and Senior Fire Captain. 

The MCFD is an all risk Department and a Contract County with Cal Fire. As a Contract County the MCFD provides initial fire attack, Public Resource Code enforcement and fire investigations within State Responsibility Areas of Marin. In addition the MCFD provides emergency and fire investigation services to the Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area and a number of rural fire districts and volunteer departments.  

Operations experience:

  • Tail board firefighter to Operations Battalion Chief
  • Emergency Command Center Operator including assignments to the State Northern Operation Center Expanded Dispatch
  • Engine Strike Team Leader, and Division/Group Supervisor
  • Incident Information Officer

Investigation, Prevention and Law Enforcement experience:

  • Membership and team leader on the County Fire Chief’s Fire Investigation Team
  • Five-year assignment as the Fire Marshal – Prevention Bureau Battalion Chief
  • Qualified as a expert in criminal and civil court, Case Officer for three felony cases resulting in conviction,
  • Founding member of Fire Safe Marin, Marin Oak Mortality Taskforce: developed and implementation of controlled burning permit, commercial fire safety, wildland fire hazard reduction and State Fire Plan programs.

Profesional Organizations:

  • NFPA, National Fire Protection Association
  • IAAI, International Association of Arson Investigators
  • CCAI, California Conference of Arson Investigators
  • NAFI, National Association of Fire Investigators
  • IAWF, International Association of Wild Fire

Program development and implementation:

  • Fire apparatus replacement, design, specification and procurement
  • Commercial driver licensing and driver training
  • Expanded emergency command center procedures
  • Authored multiple department policies including professional work environment
  • Uniform Fire Code and other ordinance adoption

Training and presentation delivery:

  • Certified California State Fire Training and Education System (CFSTES) Master Instructor.  I have instructed:
    • Fire Investigation 1A & 1B
    • Fire Prevention 1A & 1B
    • Fire Instructor 1A & 1B
    • Public Education Officer 1
  • Instructor for Incident Command System courses (ICS: 100, 200, 300)
  • Course development cadre member and Instructor for the Cal Fire, Intermediate Firing course
  • Certified Instructor for Franklyn Covey Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and the Four Roles of Leadership.  These courses were delivered to employees throughout the County of Marin 
  • Developed and instructed, Vegetation Fire Origin Identification class.  This one-day classroom and hands on course was aimed at assisting fire suppression personnel in identifying origin areas and securing them from disruption
  • Wildland Litigation Conference, Presented: Cognitive Bias and Forensic Science Investigation
  • California Conference of Arson Investigators Round Table training, Private & Public Fire Investigation: This program explores the roles of the Public and Private Investigators and their interaction
  • International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI): Fire Behavior Context Relating to Vegetation Fire Investigation. This program studies the impacts of vegetation fires burning under very high to extreme conditions and the impacts in fire pattern directional indicators

Publication Contributions:

  • KIRK’S Fire Investigation, John D. DeHaan and David J. Icove, Published by Brady Fire.  Assisted author John DeHaan with flashover research for the book during the Hamilton Live burns in 2001, several photographs I took appear in the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh additions.
  • LEADERSHIP FOR THE WILDLAND FIRE OFFICER: LEADING IN A DANGEROUS PROFESSION, William C. Teie, Published by Deer Valley Press.  A professional fire service reviewer of the draft text.

Education and training:

  • Associate Science Degree in Fire Science 
  • California State Fire Training and Education System 
    • Chief Officer, Master Instructor, Fire Investigation 2A, Heavy Rescue Systems I, Fire Prevention Officer, Public Education Officer, Fire Officer, Fire Investigator I, and Basic Wildland Operations
  • National Association of Fire Investigators
    • Determining the Cause and Origin of Fires and Explosions, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) # 3488-322, Vehicle Fire/Arson Investigation, Non-Verbal Behavior, Body Language and Practical Applications as Applied to Interview Techniques
  • Santa Rosa Junior College:
    • PC 832 Arrest, Search and Seizure, Firearms Familiarization and Safety, 
  • California Specialized Training Institute
    • Hazardous Materials “First Responder Operational” and “Incident Commander”
  • Incident Command System Training (ICS)
    • I-100 (Basic) through I-400 (Advanced), ICS 220 Introduction to Incident Command, ICS 334 Strike Team Leader, ICS 339 Division Group Supervisor, ICS 401 Safety Officer, IS-00700 National Incident Management System Introduction, SEMS G606 Introductory, G606 Field Intermediate and ICS-403 Information Officer
  • California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire)
    • Intermediate Fire Behavior, Firefighter Survival, S-234 Firing Methods & Procedures, S-390 Introduction to Fire Behavior Calculations, S-490 Advanced Fire Behavior, Advanced Officer Course, (law enforcement officer), Incident Management 2, S-270 Basic Air Operations, Incident Management 3, S-420 Command and General Staff and S-404 Safety Officer
  • Marin County Fire Chiefs Association:
    • Law Enforcement Photography, Fire Death Investigation, Wildland Fire Investigation Training, National Fire Academy, Managing Company Tactical Operations, Wildland Fire Investigation Training, Arson Investigation and NFPA-921 and 16 Hours Investigation Training Hamilton Live-Fire Burns, 
  • Incident Qualifications
    • Crew Boss, Division Group Supervisor, Emergency Medical Technician, Public Information Officer, Strike Team Leader Engine, Task Force Leader, Operations Branch Director TRN, Safety Officer, Type 1 TRN and Incident Commander Type 3, 2

Averaged over 65 hours each year of classroom or program continuing education.  Additional education hours from online, industry related articles, research papers and books.

A detailed Curriculum Vitally is available to perspective clients on request