Ronald L. Blankenship, IAAI-CFI (V)

Background

Mr. Ronald Blankenship holds a B.S. degree in Fire Administration. He is a Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) by the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) with the vehicle endorsement and the State of Alabama Fire College, a Certified Advanced Fire Cause & Origin Expert Witness, a Certified Fire Inspector, a Certified Hazardous Materials Technician, and a Certified Fire Officer through the State of Alabama. Mr. Blankenship is also a Certified Home Inspector through the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).  He is a Certified Chimney Sweep through the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).

Mr. Blankenship has an extensive background in firefighting and fire prevention, in which he served 20 years with the City of Auburn’s Fire Department, 6 of those years as Fire Chief. He also served as the Fire Chief for the Phenix City Fire Rescue Services for 4 years. While working with the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s office, Mr. Blankenship was a Deputy State Fire Marshal and a Certified Law Enforcement Officer.

Mr. Blankenship’s professional portfolio encompasses a wide range of investigative work, including residential, commercial, industrial, and vehicular fire incidents, as well as explosion-related cases. He brings extensive expertise in investigations with a strong focus on accurately determining and documenting incident origin and cause. His work across various types of incidents reflects the broad investigative scope per NFPA 921. His emphasis on properly documenting origin and cause aligns with best practices and with a methodical, standards-driven approach.

He has served as an expert witness in both criminal and civil court proceedings, providing testimony based on fire investigations he personally conducted. His role as an expert witness in both criminal and civil courts demonstrates compliance with NFPA 1033’s emphasis on legal knowledge and courtroom experience.

Mr. Blankenship has handled residential, commercial, industrial, vehicular, and explosive incidents, which reflects a broader investigative range than average. Mr. Blankenship owned and operated Professional Chimney Services for 10 years. He is currently a certified chimney sweep. Mr. Blankenship has owned and operated Complete Home Inspectors since 2003.