Benjamin C. Caruana

Experienced with fire scene analysis, evidence collection, and cause determination. Utilizes investigative techniques to identify fire origins and contribute to safety improvements. Strong understanding of fire dynamics and legal procedures in fire investigations.

• Galesburg Fire Department, Galesburg, IL, 01/01/10, Present, Fire Captain, 01/01/23, Present, Lead Shift Investigator, 01/01/19, Present, Fire Investigator, 01/01/19, Present, Fire Investigator Apprentice, 01/01/17, 01/01/19, Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Specialist, 01/01/17, Present, Hazardous Materials Team, 01/01/13, Present, Driver/Engineer, 01/01/11, 01/01/23, Firefighter EMT-B, 01/01/10, 01/01/11
• North Park Fire Protection District, 01/01/07, 01/01/10, Firefighter EMT-B, 01/01/07, 01/01/10

• Illinois OSFM, Firefighter I, Firefighter III, Fire Apparatus Engineer, Fire Officer I, Hazardous Materials Technician A and B, Hazardous Materials Incident Command, Technical Rescue Awareness, Vehicle Machinery Operations, Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Specialist, Fire Investigator
• Illinois Department of Public Health, EMT-Basic
• International Association of Arson Investigators, Certified Fire Investigator Technician, 2020-2023, Certified Fire Investigator, 2023-Present
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-300, ICS-400, ICS-800

• International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
• Illinois Chapter, International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI-IL)
• International Association of Firefighters (IAFF)
• Associated Firefighters of Illinois (AFFI)

• 05/01/25, IAAI IL/IA Joint Conference: Gas Related Fires and Explosions
• 05/01/25, IAAI IL/IA Joint Conference: Furnace Fires
• 05/01/25, IAAI IL/IA Joint Conference: Scene Preservation
• 05/01/24, IAAI IL/IA Joint Conference: Civil Law for Fire Investigations, Rock Island, IL
• 05/01/24, IAAI IL/IA Joint Conference: Safely Investigating Photovoltaic, Electric Vehicles and Lithium-Ion Fires, Rock Island, IL
• 05/01/24, Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Fires, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/24, What The Insurance Professionals Need to Know About Fire investigation, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/24, Fire Flow Analysis, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/23, IAAI IL/IA Joint Conference Complex Fire Investigations, Rock Island, IL
• 05/01/23, IAAI IL/IA Investigation Fundamentals of Vehicle Systems, Rock Island, IL
• 05/01/23, IAAI Annual Training Conference
• 05/01/23, Critical Evaluation and Testing of Commonly Reported Accidental Causes, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/23, Digital Photography and the Fire Investigator, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/23, Residential Electrical Systems, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/23, Using Resources to Validate your Hypothesis, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/23, Wildland Fire Investigations, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/22, Federal Emergency Management Agency ICS-800
• 05/01/22, Federal Emergency Management Agency ICS-400
• 05/01/22, Federal Emergency Management Agency ICS-300
• 05/01/22, Case Preparation and Courtroom Testimony: National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD
• 05/01/22, The Deposition Part 2: Questioning Tactics and Effective Responses, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/22, The Deposition Part 1: Format, Content, and Preparation, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/21, NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033 Testimony Survival for Trials and Depositions, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/21, IAAI Annual Training Conference, East Peoria, IL
• 05/01/21, Critical Thinking Solves Cases, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/21, Effective Investigation and Testimony, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/21, Fundamentals of Interviewing, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/21, Magne Tek: A Case Study in the Daubert Challenge, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/20, Fire Investigator: Illinois Fire Service Institute, Champaign, IL
• 05/01/20, Fire Investigation: Essentials National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD
• 05/01/20, The Practical Application of the Relationship Between NFPA 1033 and NFPA 921, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/20, Ethics and the Fire Investigator, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/20, Understanding Undetermined, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/19, Determining Origin, Cause & Responsibility Relating to Electrical, East Moline, IL
• 05/01/19, Arc Mapping Basics, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/19, Basic Electricity, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/19, Electrical Safety, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/19, Thermometry, Heat, and Heat Transfer, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/18, Federal Emergency Management Agency ISC-200
• 05/01/17, Introduction to Fire Dynamics and Modeling, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/17, Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Specialist, Illinois Fire Service Institute, Champaign, IL
• 05/01/17, Fundamentals of Residential Building Construction, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/17, Physical Evidence at the Fire Scene, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/17, Search and Seizure, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/16, Documenting the Event, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/16, Fire Investigator Scene Safety, cfitrainer.net
• 05/01/16, Introduction to Evidence, cfitrainer.net