Georgia

MICHAEL (SHANE) DANIEL: IAAI/CFI – Canton, GA

Shane Daniel is an experienced expert witness in fire-related court cases. He is a Certified Fire Investigator through the International Association of Arson Investigators. Shane has been a law enforcement officer for over 30 years serving Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services and Cobb County Department of Public Safety. He has more than 24 years of fire investigation experience, including 11 years as manager of the Office of Professional Standards & Fire Investigations with the Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services. Shane is currently a fire investigator for the Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services handling origin and cause investigations and drone operations within the arson unit.

RYAN H. THURMOND: IAAI-CFI – Atlanta, GA

Ryan Thurmond is a Certified Fire Investigator by the International Association of Arson Investigators. He has conducted detailed cause and origin investigations and participated in serving search warrants, surveillance, stakeouts, interrogations, interviews, and arrests of alleged arsonists and other major felony cases. He has also given expert testimony in multiple arson cases in the state of Georgia’s Superior Court. Ryan was a Lieutenant in the Gwinnett County Fire Service’s Arson/Explosive Investigation Unit, as well as a Criminal Investigator with the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office. He is an expert in the field of psycho-physiology, detection of deception, and polygraph examination.

A. BUD THAMES: IAAI-CFI – Charleston, SC

Bud Thames is a Certified Fire Investigator through the International Association of Arson Investigators. Bud recently retired after serving as the Battalion Chief of the Mount Pleasant fire Department for over twenty years. He has over twenty-five years of experience in the fire and law enforcement services. In 2015, Bud served as the President of the South Carolina Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the same organization. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management from South Wesleyan University.

PATRICK B. DUGAN: IAAI-CFI // NAFI-CFEI, CVFI – Daytona, FL

Pat Dugan is a Certified Fire Investigator through the International Association of Arson Investigators and the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications. Pat is also a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator through the National Association of Fire Investigators. In addition, Pat holds an HVAC Technician certification through the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Pat retired as Deputy Chief and Platoon Commander of the Schenectady Fire Department in 2002 after a 33-year career. Prior to that, he served as deputy chief of training, fire captain, paramedic lieutenant, and fire lieutenant of the same department. Outside of his work in the fire service, he has worked on automobiles for more than 35 years. Pat is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators, as well as the Florida and New York chapters of the same. He also has membership in the International Fire Marshals Association, the Schenectady Permanent Fireman’s Association, the Capital District Fire Investigators, and the New York State Fire Investigators Association.

JEFFREY BRYANT: NAFI/CFEI – Tallahassee, FL

Jeffrey Bryant is an experienced private fire investigator and has testified as an expert witness in both district and circuit court proceedings. He is a Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator through the National Association of Fire Investigators. He has over 27 years of experience in the fire service, recently retiring as a lieutenant from the Detroit Fire Department’s Arson Section. Jeffrey was a certified inspector and instructor by the State of Michigan. He was a fire investigator and a sworn police officer, and he participated in over 800 origin and cause investigations working with the Michigan State Police, Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives on larger investigations.

J. RONALD REAGAN: IAAI/CFI, IAAI/CFI, IAAI/FIT, ECT – Stockbridge, GA

Ronald Reagan is a Certified Fire Investigator, a Certified Fire Investigator Technician, and a Certified Evidence Collection Technician through the International Association of Arson Investigators. Ronald is certified as a State of Georgia Inspector, Fire Investigator and Electrical Contractor (Non-Restricted since 1989). He is also certified Fire Investigator through the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications. He was a Certified Peace Officer through the Georgia Police Standards and Training Council before retiring in 2021. Ronald has over 37 years of experience as a firefighter, 17 years as a fire investigator and 27 years as a peace officer. He has performed over sixteen thousand fire inspections ranging from residential to industrial occupancies utilizing National Life Safety Codes, National Fire Codes, and Georgia Accessibility Codes. Ronald’s knowledge as a certified electrician has been instrumental in his fire investigations and building inspections. He has experience as an adjunct instructor at both the Georgia Fire Academy and the Georgia Police Academy. Ronald is an experienced expert witness in fire-related court proceedings.

NATHAN PATTERSON: IAAI/CFI, NAFI.CFEI – Rome, GA

Nathan Patterson is a Certified Fire Investigator and Certified Fire Investigation Technician through the International Association of Arson Investigators, as well as a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator through the National Association of Fire Investigators. Having served the Rome, Georgia Fire Department as a firefighter, and the Bartow County Fire Department as a Fire Inspector and Investigator, as well as serving as a fire investigator in Dallas, Texas for EFI Global, Nathan has over 15 years of fire experience. He is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators and the National Association of Fire Investigators.