Alaska Association of Fire & Arson Investigators
Board of Directors
HomeAAFAI StoreNEWSContact Us2010 ConferenceBy-LawsElected OfficersBoard of DirectorsEducational LinksRelated Links

The Board of Directors constitutes the main contributing body for the association.  These men and women work extremely hard to promote the education and evolution of the Alaskan Fire Investigator.

Brian Balega: Has been an investigator with the Anchorage Fire Department since February 2008.  Prior to joining AFD, he was emplyed as a Police Officer with the Anchorage Police Department (APD).

Brian stated his fire service career as a volunteer firefighter at Derry Township Volunteer Fire Department Company #1 Bradenville, PA.  He served with the fire department for 2 1/2 years prior to obtaining an Associate degree in Criminal Justice and joining the US Army.  Brian served 5 years in the US Army,  Brian served 5 years on active duty with the US Army, and was assigned to Fort Richardson, AK for the last 3 years of his service.  In April 1996, he was hired by APD and worked 4 years as a patrol officer prior to being assigned as a Detective.  Under this reassignment he investigated fraud, theft, burglary, assault, sexual assaults, drug related crimes and drug related homicides. 
Brian's last 6 years with APD was conducting undercover drug investigations and technical surveillances.  Brian is certified as a Clandestine Laboratory Supervisor.  Brian was also a deputized Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  Brian holds an Advanced Peace Officer Certificate with the Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC).

Theresa Ross:  Born and raised in Alaska.  She joined the fire service in 1992 and specialized in code enforcement in 1999 by joining the State Fire Marshal's Office as a Deputy Fire Marshal and completing the Alaska Law Enforcement Academy.  In 2003 she joined the University Fire Department in Fairbanks as Deputy Fire Marshal and was promoted to Fire Marshal in 2006.  She is a certified Plans Examiner, Fire Inspector II, and Mechanical Inspector with the International Code Council.  She also holds State of Alaska Firefighter II, Marine Firefighter, and Emergency Medical Technician Certifications.

Richard Etheridge:  Currently serving as a career Division Chief for Capital City Fire Rescue.  He began his career in the fire service in 1991 as a Wild Land Firefighter for the State of Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula.  He transitioned to a volunteer firefighter at the Glacier Fire Station in Juneau in 1992 and was very actvie until his career change to the Alaska State Troopers in 1998.  He worked as a Trooper on the Kenai Peninsula and in the Talkeetna area until 2002 when he was hired by Capital City Fire Rescue in the Division of Fire Prevention.

He has served in many positions with the Capital City Fire Rescue ranging from Acting Chief, Acting Career Division Chief, Fire Prevention Officer and finally as the Fire Marshal.  As a volunteer, he had held positions in the Glacier Volunteer Firefighter Association as president and vice president.  He has also held the position of vice president for the local AFSA chapter.

He is currently the Chair Person for the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Fire Department Liaison for the Building Code Adoption Committee and a member of several professional organizations.  He holds certifications as Firefighter II, Emergency Medical Technician I, Advanced Fire Investigator, Fire Inspector II, and is currently working his certified Fire Marshal Program through the International Code Council.

Dave Swearingen:  Dave joined the Sitka Fire Department in June of 1983 as a volunteer firefighter.  He was hired as a career engineer in 1986 and moved into the position of Assistant Fire Chief in 1988.  He has been investigating fires for the Sitka Fire Department for the past 20 years, becoming a Certified Fire Investigator with the State of Alaska in 2000.  He is a life-member with the Alaska Association of Fire/Arson Investigators, while serving on the Ways and Means Committee for AAFAI.  he is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators and the National Assocation of Fire Investigators.

John S. Bond:  Started his fire service career as a volunteer firefighter in South Dakota in 1976. After attending college he served as a rural volunteer firefighter in Oklahoma. In 1989 John joined the Palmer Fire Department where he obtained his State of Alaska Firefighter I and State Fire Instructor I certificates. In 1992 while working as a Village Public Safety Officer he established and was Chief of the Anvik Volunteer Fire Department.  He then moved back to Palmer where he worked as a Laboratory Technician for the Department of Environmental Conservation. In 1997 John worked as a Pathologist Assistant for the State Medical Examiners Office in Anchorage until December of 2000 when he joined the State Fire Marshal Office as a Deputy Fire Marshal. He is currently assigned to the Palmer Post for the Division of Fire & Life Safety and responds to fire investigations through out the State.   

Ron Templeton:  Ron is currently the Deputy Fire Marshal for the Fairbanks Fire Department.  He began his fire service career in 1991 as a volunteer with the Northstar Volunteer Fire Department and moved into a career position with the department in May of 1992.  In 1995 he transitioned into the Federal Fire Service at Fort Wainwright, Alaska and worked in various positions throughout his 10 year tenure there.  He was then hired by the University Fire Department as a Captain and while there he transitioned into the Prevention Division as the Deputy Fire Marshal.  After serving as the DFM for the University Fire Department for 18 months he was selected for the Deputy Fire Marshal position at Fairbanks Fire Department.  He holds certifications as Firefighter II, Fire Instructor, Fire Inspector, and Fire Officer.  He is currently working on his Certified Fire Investigator (CFI).

A.A.F.A.I.