Training Courses

Fire and Explosion Investigations

Date & Time:
  • September 22, 2026 – September 24, 2026
Location:
Allentown, PA

Instructor: John Lentini

Dates: September 22-24

Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Location: Berner Expert Witness Center & Crime Scene Lab, 100 College Drive, Allentown, PA 18104

Fee: $595 (includes John Lentini's textbook, Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation, 3rd edition)

Who Should Attend: Law enforcement, fire investigators, firefighters, EMS personnel, first responders, and fire safety professionals

Course Overview:

This intensive three-day program enables participants to expand their expertise in fire and explosion investigations under the guidance of John Lentini, a highly respected and internationally recognized authority in fire investigation science.

Training Highlights:

  • Expert instruction from internationally recognized fire investigator John Lentini
  • Science-based methodologies applied to contemporary fire and explosion investigations
  • Comprehensive instruction in fire dynamics, combustion chemistry, and burn pattern analysis
  • Evidence-based investigative techniques validated in courtroom settings
  • Methods for interpreting fire scene evidence and determining ignition sources
  • Critical examination of common investigative errors and misconceptions in arson investigation

Course Agenda:

Day 1: Fire & Science

  • The Chemistry and Physics of Combustion
  • Fire Dynamics and Fire Pattern Development

Day 2: Fire Investigation Procedures

  • Analysis of Ignitable Liquid Residues
  • Evaluation of Ignition Sources
  • Practical Examples

Day 3: Professional Practice and Investigative Standards

  • The Mythology of Arson Investigation
  • Sources of Error in Fire Investigation
  • The Professional Practice of Fire Investigation

Recommended Lodging: Holiday Inn Allentown – Bethlehem by IHG, 4325 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown, PA 18103, 866-994-7255

About the Instructor:

John Lentini holds dual certifications in both fire scene investigations and fire debris analysis, placing him among a select group of professionals with these qualifications. Throughout his career, he has completed more than 2,000 fire scene inspections and provided expert testimony in over 200 cases. He actively advocates for standardized practices in fire and forensic investigations and serves on multiple professional committees, including the NFPA Committee on Fire Investigator Professional Qualifications and the NIST/OSAC Sub-committee on Fire and Explosion Investigations. He previously chaired the ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic Science for three terms and served as Chairman of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Criminalistics Section. Lentini received the 2015 Person of the Year Award from the Society of Fire Protection Engineers for his contributions to advancing the fire investigation field and preventing wrongful convictions in arson cases. He currently operates as an independent consultant and forensic expert based in the Florida Keys under Scientific Fire Analysis. His widely recognized textbook, Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation, is now in its third edition and was published by CRC Press in 2018.