CAPT. WALTER P. GODFREY, JR.

SENIOR FIRE & EXPLOSION EXPERT

Capt. Walter P. Godfrey, Jr. is the founder and president of the Port Canaveral, Florida based Company. He is also the Senior Fire & Explosion Analyst with over 40 years of investigative experience.

He is a National Board Certified Fire Investigator, National Board Certified Fire Investigation Instructor, Florida Certified Investigator, Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator, National Board Certified Anti-Terrorism Specialist and a U.S. Coastguard 100 ton master licensed Captain. He has been the lead investigator on more than 1500 vessel fire investigations, and also lead investigator in over 2000 vehicle/structure cases. He shares his knowledge and expertise by teaching seminars on structure fires and surface and sub surface vessel fires for insurance underwriters, (ex. Lloyds of London), claims personnel, attorneys, and investigative arms of various government agencies as well as civic and professional groups. The U.S. Coast Guard inspectors have worked along side him and used the case to set up procedures for their instruction courses. Instructing and sharing knowledge has helped to make Captain Godfrey one of the most successful origin & cause expert witnesses in the courtroom.

Mr. Godfrey rendered a detailed report that both technically and clearly explained his findings, conclusions and opinions.   The report and detailed thoroughness / expertise of Mr. Godfrey was sufficient to persuade the Prosecutor to drop all the charges against my client.

Richard A. Barlow, Esq.
KIBBEY & BARLOW

Captain Walter P. Godfrey, Jr. – Resume´
CAPTAIN WALTER P. GODFREY, JR.

F.C.I., C.F.E.I., C.F.I.I., C.C.D.I.

EMPLOYMENT

PRESIDENT, Senior Fire and Explosion Analyst, Fire/Reconstruction Consultants, Inc., June 1981 to present. Expert in determining the origin and cause of fires and explosions. Specialized expertise in underwater marine investigations for determining the origin and cause of fires and explosions on burned sunken vessels, with complete documentation including underwater video. Qualified to give expert testimony in both Federal and State Court systems. Expertise also includes investigations into the case circumstances, preparing legal documentation, research, testing and preparation of completed report findings with on site photography of vessel, vehicle and structure cases. Technical litigation support.

VICE PRESIDENT, William Alvine Associates, Inc., August 1977 to June 1981. Primary duties: Determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions in the southeastern region of the United States. Secondary duties: Supervise and coordinate engineering staff and oversee administration of the Florida Corporate Office.

SELF-EMPLOYED, 1976 to 1977. Investigations for the private legal sector.

DEPUTY STATE FIRE MARSHALL, State of Florida, July 1974 to August 1976. Duties: Fire scene investigation in order to determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions and in cases of arson, to investigate the circumstances so as to determine those responsible and to assist the State Attorney’s Office in case preparation and the prosecution of suspects. Duties also included the investigation of all illegal uses of explosives as well as preparing intelligence information on arsonists, professional torches, bombers and members of organized crime who may have been operating in the area.

AGENT, Legislative Security, State of Florida, February 1973 to July 1974. Duties: Security of House, Senate and Capitol Buildings as well as security of Legislative personnel, such as Senators and Representatives in the event of threats on their lives or property. Duties also included bomb threat evacuation and bomb disposal techniques.

WINTER PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT 1972 to 1973. Duties: Dispatcher.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR, Jack Bachman Private Investigations, 1971 to 1973.
PRODUCTION CONTROL COORDINATOR AND COMPANY INVESTIGATOR, Pemco Corporation, Bluefield, VA. 1970 to 1971

ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF INVESTIGATIONS, Pinkerton’s, Inc., Charlotte, N.C., 1969 and 1970. Duties: Supervised a team of investigators which included placing and handling undercover investigators, investigating thefts by employees and organized crime theft rings. Investigation of insurance frauds and other general investigations, including arson, testing operations, surveillance and many others.

SPECIALIZED EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

• Tallahassee Community College Law Enforcement, 1966 to 1969
• Pinkerton’s, Charlotte, N.C., Management Training & Fire Investigations,
  1969 and 1970
• Florida Minimum Standards for Police Officers, 1973
• Florida State Fire Marshals Training Course, 1974
• Miami Dade Community College- Arson Investigation, 1975
• Miami Fire College- Arson and Catastrophic Occurrences, 1975
• Valencia Community College- Arson Investigation and Malicious Uses of
  Explosives, 1975-1976
• Broward Community College- Instruments and Techniques of on Site Arson Detection, Speaker, 1976
• Florida State Arson Seminars, 1975-1989, 1992, 1997
• PARCO Fire Investigation Seminar, 1978
• Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention Seminars, 1978, 1981
• International Symposium on Marine Salvage, 1984
• International Association of Arson Investigators, International Seminar,
  1984, 2010
• Crealde School of Art- Photography, 1986-1988
• National Association of Fire Investigators, National Training Seminars,
  1985-1989
• Joint NFPA/ NAFI Fire Investigators National Training Seminars, 1992,
  1994, 2000-2002, 2004-2007
• Fire Investigation Instructors Certification Course, University of
  Southern Mississippi, 1989
• National Conference on Fire Investigation Instruction, Director and
  Speaker, 1990
• Side Scan Sonar Technician Training Course, 1991
• Forensic Fire Science and Technology Laboratory Seminar, 1992
• A.B.Y.C., Marine Accident Investigation Seminar, Speaker, 1993
• Ft. Lauderdale Mariners Club Seminar, 1993, Speaker; 1994-2000, 2003, 2004, 2006-2010
• Tampa Bay Mariners Club Seminar, 1993, speaker; 1994, 2000
• Mathematical Computer Fire Modeling Training Seminar, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2007
• Fishing Vessel Safety School, 1994
• Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute Seminar, 1996
• International Association of Marine Investigators Training Seminar, 1998, 2000
• National Advanced Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation, Science and
  Technology Program, Eastern Kentucky University, 1998; Sarasota, Florida, 2008-2010
• National Seminar on Fire Analysis Litigation, 1999-2001, 2004-2006, 2008-2010
• Undersea Exploration 99, 1999
• Florida Joint Licensed Investigators Training Conference, 1999, 2000,
  2002-2004 , 2006
• 3rd International Seminar on Fire & Explosion Hazards, 2000
• Insurance Investigations Seminar for Private Investigators, 2001
• National Defense Investigators Association, National Training Seminar, 2003
• FEMA, Community Emergency Response Team Training, 2003
• Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council, Criminal Defense
  Investigation, The Component Method, 2003
• 4th Annual Public Defenders Las Vegas Retreat, Sponsor, 2004
• Florida Life over Death Conference, Speaker, 2007
• World Association of Detectives, Mid Year Conference, 2009
• International Symposium on Fire Investigation Science and Technology, 2010

LICENSES:

• Private Investigative Agency- License # A 8500056
• Private Investigators- License # C 0001697
• Agency Manager- License # MA 9100006
• U.S. Coast Guard Licensed 100 Ton Master- License # 1082624

CERTIFICATIONS:

• Florida Certified Investigator
• National Board Certified Fire, Arson & Explosion Investigator, National
  Certification # 1714-00331, (Re-certified 2002 & 2008)
• National Board Certified Fire Investigation Instructor
• National Board Certified Anti-Terrorism Specialist
• Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator
• American Sailing Association- Certified Instructor (Basic Sailing,
  Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Chartering)
• U.S. Coast Guard Certified Master of Safety Drills, under The Fishing
  Vessel Safety Act of 1988, No. 36453
• Certified Advanced Open Water Diver
• Enriched Air Nitrox Certified Diver
• Underwater Robotics Specialist
• Side Scan Sonar Technician

PROFESSIONAL BOARDS:

• National Association of Fire Investigators,
  National Director, National Certification Board Member
• City of Cape Canaveral Code Enforcement Board
• Florida Board of Certified Investigators Director, 2006-2008

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

• National Association of Fire Investigators, National Director, National
  Certification Board Member
• International Association of Arson Investigators
• Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International
• South Florida Fire Safety Association, Charter Member
• National Fire Protection Association; Fire Science & Technology Educator’s Section; NFPA-921 Technical Committee, Task Group on Marine Fire Investigations, Task Group on Peer Review
• Marine Technology Society
• American Professional Captains Association
• National Conference on Fire Investigation Instruction, Director
  American Society of Testing and Materials
• International Association of Caribbean Investigators
• International Association of Marine Investigators
• Mariners Club, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
• Florida Marine Intelligence Unit
• The Historical Diving Society, USA
• Propeller Club of Cape Canaveral
• World Association of Detectives, Inc.
• The Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council
• National Defense Investigators Association

PRESENTATIONS:

Appeared as a guest speaker for many civic and professional groups, as well as preparing and conducting numerous fire and explosion workshops for fire departments, law enforcement agencies, state attorneys’ offices, insurance claims associations, insurance companies, national seminars and conferences and has participated in or conducted over 40 international seminars and in-house training programs.

LISTED IN:

• Marquis Who’s Who in the South and Southwest
• Who’s Who in Science and Industry
• Who’s Who in America
• The International Biographical Society
• The Center For Auto Safety
• The American Society of Testing & Materials Directory of Scientific &
  Technical Consultants & Expert Witnesses

PERSONAL:

Date of Birth: February 18, 1944
Marital Status: Married: Two Children, Three Grandchildren
Interests: Sailing, Scuba Diving, Snow Skiing, Reading, Cooking, Photography, Hunting, Fishing, Target Shooting and Underwater Video
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