Division of State Fire Marshal

Bureau of Forensic Fire and Explosives Analysis

 The State Fire Marshal's Arson Laboratory

The Division of State Fire Marshal has had a forensic laboratory since the early 1970's. A new facility was completed in 1990 and new personnel, equipment, and supervision were installed. The facility is located outside of Tallahassee, Florida, on the grounds of the Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy off of Route 90 West near Quincy, Florida. In 2003 the laboratory was made the fourth Bureau of the Division of State Fire Marshal. The Bureau has gained a reputation for leadership in fire debris analysis. It has done this by incorporating national standards into its analytical protocols, continually training its personnel, and improving its analytical instrumentation. The personnel have been encouraged to attend professional symposia where they network with many other forensic professionals. To enhance their reputation as well as save the State a portion of the travel costs, personnel have prepared and presented seminars, workshops, and scientific posters at many of these events. Bureau personnel have also written scientific articles published in international forensic/scientific publications as well as chapters of books on various forensic science topics. The State Fire Marshal of Florida is one of only three State Fire Marshals in the United States to have their own laboratory dedicated to the forensic analysis of evidence from fires or explosions.

The Census of Publicly Funded Laboratories, 2005 was released by the U. S. Department of Justice in July, 2008.  For the year 2005, they report that there were 389 publicly funded forensic laboratories (Table 14) with more than half of the full time employees working for a state government (Table 1).  The median staff size of the reporting laboratories was 16 full time personnel (page 2).  The discipline of “trace evidence” which includes fire debris and explosives analysis as well as other forensic examinations, was identified as a service provided by 194 of the laboratories (Table 9).  There were 362.2 trace evidence requests per laboratory and the mean number of requests examined by each full time examiner was 83 requests (appendix table 2). Laboratories in the report, who reported they processed trace evidence, indicated an average of 109 requests backlogged at the end of the year (appendix table 3).  A “backlogged request” was defined as, “a request that has been submitted to a specialized area of the crime laboratory and is not completed within 30 days” (page 9).

By comparison, the Bureau of Forensic Fire and Explosives Analysis has only 10 full time employees with only 4 analysts assigned to the examination of fire debris or explosives trace evidence.  The Bureau received 4169 trace evidence requests for fire debris and explosives analysis in calendar year 2005 (4722 in calendar year 2008).  The mean number of trace evidence requests processed by BFFEA examiners assigned to trace evidence was 1042 in 2005 (1181 in 2008).  Typically cases are assigned for analysis on the day they are submitted.  Because the Bureau does not operate 24 hour shifts seven days per week and does not have overtime for employees, some requests are not assigned for two to three days depending on when they are received (items received on a Friday are typically not assigned until the following Monday).  The Bureau has achieved an average turnaround time for sample analysis under seven days with virtually no backlog. 

The facility has over 12,000 square feet of laboratory, office and conference rooms.  The Bureau currently has a staff of ten full time employees.  They sometimes participate with various Universities by hosting part-time student interns to learn Fire Debris Analysis.  The Chemistry Section consists of four Crime Laboratory Analysts (three are Senior Analysts) and one Crime Laboratory Technician.  The Imaging Section consists of one Crime Laboratory Analyst and two Forensic Technologists.  A Maintenance Mechanic assists with facility operations and upkeep. The only administrative support is a part time OPS receptionist.

Employees from the Bureau are available to train personnel from other agencies in various aspects of forensic science, digital imaging, and evidence preservation.  Employees contribute to the field of forensic science through involvement in organizations such as: the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and the Technical Working Group on Fire and Explosions (TWGFEX) which is organized by the National Center for Forensic Sciences.  Bureau Chief Carl Chasteen served as the Chair of TWGFEX from its inception through 2004. He has been selected as TWGFEX Vice-Chair in 2008. He has also served as Chair of the IAAI Forensic Science Committee for many years between 1993 and 2007. Chief Chasteen has also been a Fellow of the American Board of Criminalistics in Fire Debris since 2008.

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