Description: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will be offering the Introductory Fire Debris Analysis for the Forensic Chemist class for US federal, state, and local government laboratory analysts from July 21-24, 2025. This is a four-day course designed for analysts in the early stages of fire debris training or with less than a year experience in conducting fire debris analysis casework. The course is tuition-free and will be offered at the ATF Forensic Science Laboratory – Washington in Beltsville, Maryland.
Introductory Fire Debris Analysis for the Forensic Chemist covers the basic theory and concepts analysts need to understand in order to help them gain initial competency from their agency. Classroom learning will be enhanced with hands-on exercises and small group assignments.
Topics covered include organic chemistry basics, petroleum refining, GC-MS, classification, extraction, fire chemistry basics, evidence packaging, and report writing.
Course Offering
July 21-24, 2025 (travel days July 20 and July 25):
Introductory Fire Debris Analysis for the Forensic Chemist
Although the class is tuition-free, travel costs and per diem expenses are the responsibility of the student or student’s agency.
Please contact firedebrisclass@atf.gov with any questions or to register for the upcoming Introductory Fire Debris Analysis for the Forensic Chemist course.
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