F.I.A.I.: Fire Investigators Association of Ireland – Cumann Imscrudaitheoiri Doitean na hEireann

Committee Biographies

Paul Rock

President
BSc (Hons) Emergency Services, MSc Forensic Science, MSc Emergency Management, PgDip Fire Safety Practice in Buildings

Paul has previously served for over 18 years at various ranks in Dublin Fire Brigade. Currently a National Advisor for Fire & Emergency Management, and a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Expert. He has many Academic achievements including, a BSc in the Emergency Services, a Masters in Forensic Science, Fire Investigation from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, U.K and a Post-Grad Diploma in Fire Safety Practices in Buildings from Trinity College Dublin a Masters in Major Emergency Management from Dublin City University and has completed an International Vehicle Fire Investigation Course at Park lodge International. Paul has served as a committee member for over 8 years and is currently the President of the Association


Eoin Dempsey

IAAI-FIT MIAAI, AiFire

Eoin is a member of An Garda Siochana attached to the Divisional Crime Scene Investigation Unit. He holds a B.A. in Policing Studies and is a qualified Crime Scene Examiner.

He has completed several Fire Investigation Course including The Institution of Fire Engineers Level 5 Award in Fire Investigation Theory and Practise, An Garda Siochana Fire & Arson Investigation Course, and Park lodge International Vehicle Fire Investigation Course. Eoin is certified as a Fire Investigation Technician with the IAAI.

He is currently one of only two investigators in Ireland to have obtained the IAAI-FIT certification.  He is a member of The International Association of Arson Investigators (MIAAI) and an Associate member of The Institute of Fire Engineers.


Noel Burke

Treasurer
B.E. Hons (Civil), Dip. Eng., Cert. Eng., MIEI.,

Graduated from University College Galway in 1985 with an honours B.E. (Civil) degree.  Since 2017 he worked with MarkDodd Driver and Safety Training in conjunction with working as a private consultant.

Previously he was Chief Fire Officer in Cavan County Council from 1999 to 2017 and Civil Defence Officer from 2000 to 2017. Prior to that he worked in The Department of the Environment, Mayo County Council, Lackagh Rock, Coffee Construction, and University College Galway. He is a long serving committee member of FIAI and was elected president of the Association in 2014 & 2015.


Greg Owens

BSC (Hons), MSc, CIP, MIAAI, IAAI-FIT

Greg is a fire investigator with Jensen Hughes.  He has a BSc in Forensic & Environmental Chemistry from Dublin Institute of Technology and an MSc in Forensic Science from University of Strathclyde. Before embarking on a career in fire investigation, he spent several years in the insurance industry working as a loss adjuster. During this time he obtained designation as a Certified Insurance Practitioner (CIP).

He is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators (MIAAI). He has completed several fire investigation courses including Fundamentals of Fire Investigation with the IAAI, Practical Course in Fire Investigation with Gardiner Associates Training & Research and the International Vehicle Fire Investigation course with Park Lodge International.

Greg is certified as a Fire Investigation Technician with the IAAI, currently one of only two investigators in Ireland to have obtained the IAAI-FIT designation.


Keith Dore

BBS (Hons)

Keith has been a member of Dublin  Fire Brigade since 2003. He was attached to Tallaght Fire Station for 14 years. He was promoted last year to Sub Officer and and have been attached to Donnybrook Fire Station since then. Prior to DFB he was a member of An Garda Siochana between 1997 and 2003. Keith spent 3 years in the Defence Forces between 1994 and 1997.

Keith completed a BBS (Hons) in Emergency Services Management in 2019 and is currently enrolled in a Level 8 Diploma in Learning and Development through NUIG.


Liam Fleury

C. Chem.  F.R.S.C.

Liam is a forensic scientist having spent thirty one years working at Forensic Science Ireland where he was head of the Chemistry Section for nine years.

He was an active member of ENFSI, having served as a member of the Fires and Explosives in conjunction with the Marks working groups for a number of years.

Since 2010 Liam has worked as an Associate lecturer on the DNA and Forensic Analysis degree course at the Technological University of Dublin in conjunction with working as a consultant Forensic Scientist in the area of Fire Investigation. He is a long serving committee member of FIAI and was elected president of the Association in 2011.


Sheila Broderick

B.E. Hons (Civil)

Sheila is a graduate of NUI Galway with B.E. Hons (Civil) Degree and has served almost all of her working life to date within the Irish fire service. She has studied part-time to achieve a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Protection from IT Sligo and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Dublin City University.

Sheila is the Chief Fire Officer for Meath County Council Fire & Rescue Service and is proud to be involved with the FIAI as the Chief Fire Officer Association representative


Dr Barbara Buchanan

BSc (Hons), PhD

Barbara started her career in the pharmaceutical industry as a research and development chemist before joining Forensic Science Ireland in 1992.  As a Forensic Scientist, Barbara has extensive experience in the analysis, interpretation and reporting of accelerants in fire cases referred by An Garda Siochana, and has specialised in this area since 2011.

Barbara is an active member of the Fires and Explosives working group in ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes).

Barbara is a regular attendee at the FIAI Annual Training Conferences.

 


Dr René Gapert

PhD, Prof Cert (Forensic Radiography), FRAI, MCSFS, Cert FA-III

René currently holds the part-time position of Coordinator at the National Missing Persons Helpline and also as Consultant Forensic Anthropologist working with An Garda Síochána, the Irish Coroners’ Service and forensic pathologists in Ireland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

René’s specialist area includes identification of severely compromised human remains and bone trauma interpretation.  He has worked on national and international cases of fire fatalities recovery and identification, ranging from single fatality scenarios (vehicles/buildings) to mass fatalities such as the Grenfell Tower Fire.

Dr Gapert is a member of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management’s advisory team on temporary mortuary facilities in mass fatality cases and acts as Ireland’s forensic anthropology representative on the INTERPOL Disaster Victim Identification Pathology and Anthropology Sub-Group.

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