SBI Update
- In order to help provide better coverage for the state, Special Agent Matt Bivins has agreed to transfer from the Capital (Raleigh) District to the Northern Piedmont (Greensboro) District. As of April 21, 2018, Matt will take over the fire investigations and will be the primary point of contact for that District. That district consists of the following counties: Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham and Stokes. This will give us, at least, one investigator in every District across the state.
- The SBI is in the process of adding three additional Accelerant Detection K-9s. On April 20, 2018, SA Bivins, along with SA Tammy Endicott-Powell and SA Joe Bode, graduated from the SBI K-9 Academy. Each of their dogs have begun preliminary training with the assistance of former SA Jerry Webster. They hope to have all three K-9s trained and online by July 1, 2018. Once they come online, that will give us six Accelerant Detection K-9s for the state.
- The SBI has also been working to provide a streamlined means for insurance company notifications, as required by NCGS 58-79.40. The SBI has added a link to the website, which will allow insurance companies to do online notifications, instead of written letters. There is also a link on this same page for citizens to issue tips on suspected arsons. The page is currently active. Once either of the online forms is filled out, it will send me an email directly to me, and I will forward it to the appropriate agent and / or local agency.
If anybody has any questions or comments, feel free to contact me.
Kevin Oliver
koliver@ncsbi.gov

-
Mayday called, 3 Dallas firefighters burned in house fire
In high temperatures, firefighters retreated, and one became disoriented, prompting the mayday call
-
Calif. county FD cracks down on illegal fireworks with drone
Kern County Fire Chief Aaron Duncan said his department and the Office of the State Fire Marshal have already seized about 35,000 pounds of illegal fireworks within the county this year
-
Houston Fire Department offers financial incentives to recruits
Those with an active fire and EMT certification can receive $2,500, and those with a fire-paramedic certification can receive $3,000
-
GM expands electric vehicle training for first responders
The carmaker's program is said to include instruction and best practices on how to handle emergency situations with EVs
-
Off-duty battalion chief praises Boy Scouts' response to Amtrak crash
Mo. firefighter Todd Covington described the derailment and aftermath, saying, the scouts "probably saved 20 or 30 people's lives"