Meet a\u00a0NAFI member: Richard Meier<\/p>\n
Everyone at the\u00a0National Association of Fire Investigators works hard to make sure our members reach their goals by supporting them with a variety of NFPA based trainings, certifications, and resources. When our members have the relevant education and resources that meet their needs, we\u2019ve succeeded! We are proud of our team and are happy to share more about them with you.<\/i><\/p>\n
Rich Meier is a Senior Staff Expert, Fire and Explosion Analyst, Lead Investigator with John A. Kennedy & Associates, Inc. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology from the University of Akron that he\u00a0earned while working full time, serving in the US Army Reserves and being called to active duty.<\/p>\n
Rich\u00a0lived in Illinois, Ohio and Texas as a child, and ended up in Ohio. \u00a0He moved to Florida in 2000 because\u00a0he had\u00a0had enough of snow, and loves boating and diving.<\/p>\n
How did you get started working in fire investigation? Why is NAFI an\u00a0important organization for fire investigation?<\/strong> What is your favorite part of being involved with NAFI? What\u00a0advice do you have for fire investigators just starting out?<\/strong>Learn everything you can and never stop asking questions.\u00a0 Listen to other fire investigators when you\u2019re at a fire scene, but don\u2019t take anything as gospel.\u00a0 Some really know what they\u2019re doing and some don\u2019t.\u00a0 When you think you know everything, it\u2019s time to look for another career.<\/p>\n What is a quote you live by? “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.”\u00a0<\/i>– Nido Qubein<\/i><\/p>\n “Do something every day that scares you.”\u00a0<\/i>– Eleanor Roosevelt<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Meet a\u00a0NAFI member: Richard Meier Everyone at the\u00a0National Association of Fire Investigators works hard to make sure our members reach their goals by supporting them with a variety of NFPA based trainings, certifications, and resources. When our members have the relevant education and resources that meet their needs, we\u2019ve succeeded! We are proud of our … Continue reading Meet a NAFI member: Richard Meier<\/span>
\n<\/strong>I first met Pat Kennedy while dating his daughter Christine, now my wife.\u00a0 When he found out I was both a mechanical engineer and an avid boater, he asked me to consult on a couple of marine cases, one explosion and one fire on an antique yacht.\u00a0 From there I was hooked.\u00a0 I studied fire investigation for about 2 years before joining Kennedy and Associates full time.\u00a0 It is the most interesting thing I\u2019ve ever done and now I can\u2019t imagine doing anything else.<\/p>\n
\nI feel that NAFI puts a lot of emphasis on the basics.\u00a0 We stress the scientific method because it\u2019s a reliable roadmap to follow when you\u2019re doing your investigation.\u00a0 Yes, we also teach more complex topics, but we try to make sure you have the fundamentals in place first.\u00a0 That includes all the requirements of NFPA 1033, in addition to other useful skills.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Meeting and networking with the members.\u00a0 Through NAFI I know people on almost every continent.\u00a0 I hear some interesting stories and learn a lot.\u00a0 After teaching a class someone will come up and say \u201cYou know\u2026\u201d or \u201cWhat about\u2026?\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019ll go find out and hopefully my class is that much better the next time I teach it.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>I have a lot of favorites, so I\u2019m not sure that I can narrow it down to just one.\u00a0 Here\u2019s two\u2026<\/p>\n