R. A. John McDermott, IAAI-FIT, CCFI-B, SCO, MIAAI

John McDermott has been a member of the fire service in Canada since January of 2000. In addition to achieving multiple international professional certifications in firefighting, he holds multiple professional designations as they relate to fire investigation. Additionally, John has also been trained to the NWCG’s FI-210 Wildfire Investigator standard and is experienced in both municipal and wildfire investigation operations. 

As an advocate of public safety and emergency services, John sits as a voting member of  the ULC Advisory Board, is a former member of Alberta Task Force 1 (ABTF-1), is a Past President of the Fire Investigation Association of Alberta, Chapter #38 of the International Association of Arson Investigators and is the sitting President of the Canadian Association of Investigators which is the only national professional association in Canada with a dedicated focus on Canadian fire investigators.

He is a contributing author in “Fire Investigator: Principles and Practices of NFPA 921and 1033, Fifth Edition” and has had the opportunity to train with, and train fire investigators from around the world. John has been qualified as an expert witness in several areas over multiple matters as it relates to fire, arson, explosion and crime scene investigations in both Provincial and (the now) Court of King’s Bench. He’s had the opportunity to train and work with professionals from such agencies as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, U.S. Department of Justice’s ATF, Homeland Security.

In addition to his work as a public safety professional, John is the Producer and Host of “Flame Front Radio with John McDermott”, a podcast for the fire investigation community.  John currently serves the residents, visitors and stakeholders of Nunavut as the Fire Marshal, leading the Nunavut Fire Marshal’s Office based in Iqaluit, Nunavut.