About Nicole
Ms. Nicole Brewer is a Certified Fire Investigator, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and Evidence Collection Technician with over 26 years of fire service experience. Prior to her current position as a Portland Fire/Arson Investigator, her assignments have included Firefighter, Training Specialist, Lieutenant, and Fire Inspector. She has personally investigated and consulted on over 2,000 fire and explosion scenes in the city of Portland, OR, and in the private sector. Her investigations include those involving residential and commercial structures, vehicles, wild land, heavy equipment, manufacturing and industrial facilities, and watercraft.
Ms. Brewer has led incidents involving complex issues, such as fatalities, civilian and fire fighter injuries, multi-million dollar losses, criminal activity, fire detection and suppression system failures, and explosions. She has provided expert testimony on multiple occasions in grand juries, trials and depositions. Ms. Brewer has worked to validate three fire investigation textbooks produced by the International Fire Service Training Association. She is a Certified Fire Investigation Instructor with experience teaching fire service personnel, attorneys, adjusters, and civilians in lecture and live-burn settings.
Ms. Nicole Brewer is a Certified Fire Investigator, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and Evidence Collection Technician with over 26 years of fire service experience. Prior to her current position as a Portland Fire/Arson Investigator, her assignments have included Firefighter, Training Specialist, Lieutenant, and Fire Inspector. She has personally investigated and consulted on over 2,000 fire and explosion scenes in the city of Portland, OR, and in the private sector. Her investigations include those involving residential and commercial structures, vehicles, wild land, heavy equipment, manufacturing and industrial facilities, and watercraft.
Ms. Brewer has led incidents involving complex issues, such as fatalities, civilian and fire fighter injuries, multi-million dollar losses, criminal activity, fire detection and suppression system failures, and explosions. She has provided expert testimony on multiple occasions in grand juries, trials and depositions. Ms. Brewer has worked to validate three fire investigation textbooks produced by the International Fire Service Training Association. She is a Certified Fire Investigation Instructor with experience teaching fire service personnel, attorneys, adjusters, and civilians in lecture and live-burn settings.
Education
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M.Sc. Forensic Sciences/Arson and Explosives InvestigationOklahoma State University - Expected May 2021
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B.Sc. Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation – summa cum laudeEastern Kentucky University Richmond, Kentucky
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Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer DegreeClackamas Community College Oregon City, Oregon

Areas of Expertise
- Subrogation
- Large/Complex Losses
- Industrial/Manufacturing
- Heavy Equipment Fire and Explosion
- Multi-Residential Complex Fire and Explosion
- Electrical Fires
- Fire and Arson Investigations
- Wildfire
- Fire Investigation
- Fire/Explosion Damage/Evaluations
- Large Retail Fire and Explosion
- Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Fire and Explosion
- Fire Risk Assessments
- Wood Burning Fire Systems
- Fire Origin and Cause
- Fire Protection and Detection Systems
- Agricultural Equipment Fire and Explosion
- RV Fire and Explosion
- Wind Turbine Fire and Explosion
- Fire Code Consulting AFBC, NFPA
- Appliance Fires
- Vehicle Fires
- Transformer Fires
- Power Generation/Electrical Distribution Fires
- Mechanical/Electrical Fire Cause Analysis