MISSION

  • To build an organized team that will provide effective, enhanced, origin and cause fire investigations.
  • To promote the continued education and improvement of skills of the team members.
  • Along with support from other local agencies and organizations, the team will strive to share fire investigation resources

PURPOSE

The Hennepin County Fire Investigation Team is a multi-agency, multi-discipline group of over 25 fire service professionals dedicated to coordinating fire investigations and training. Team members represent nearly every department in Hennepin County. These team members use their time and skills to assist other agencies within the county (through mutual aid agreements) with origin and cause investigations. In addition, the team coordinates, hosts or assists with fire investigator training.

It is through an efficient and accurate determination of the cause and responsibility that future fire incidents can be avoided. By using a systematic approach to uncover factual data, and a scientific method, together it will provide for the organizational and analytical process necessary in a successful fire investigation. The concept of the team is to assist local incident commanders, under the agency having jurisdiction, with the resources they may need in order to determine the most likely probable cause of a fire or explosion. The probable cause will be determined through effective, interviews, thorough scene examinations, processing, and follow-ups, working with all parties involved.

Once the investigation is completed, all investigation materials are then turned over to the jurisdiction that requested the fire investigation team’s assistance as their own. The fire investigation team strives to be a valuable resource for any member department that may need a full investigation response, or just an extra experienced investigator to assist their own investigator.

For more information:

Team Supervisor: Inspector Shawn Johnson, Minnetonka Fire Department, at 952-939-8335 (office) or swjohnson@minnetonkamn.gov.

HCFCA Board Liaison: Deputy Chief Chris Kummer, Maple Grove Fire Department, 763-494-6303 (office) or ckummer@maplegrovemn.gov