Michael M. Fitz, P.E., CFEI

Mr. Michael Fitz is a mechanical and civil engineer with 38 years of experience specializing in fires, explosions, large loss expert coordination, fire protection, civil, electrical, and mechanical failure analysis, with consultation in over 1000 projects. He is a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.), a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI), a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS), and a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and Instructor (CFII).

He is well versed in fire origin and cause determination, examination, testing, and engineering analysis involving residential, commercial, industrial, marine, wildland, vehicles, appliances, equipment, and machinery. Specific examples include heaters and furnaces (propane, natural gas, electric, wood, gasoline, and oil), coffee makers, dryers, ranges, smoke and gas detectors, spontaneous heating of linseed oil and other materials, fireworks, automobiles, construction equipment, and boats.

Mr. Fitz's failure analysis experience includes controlled atmosphere and cold storage, pumps, valves, pipes, HVAC equipment, fans, insulation, and roofing systems. His additional aspects of investigation include hazard analysis, explosion and blast analysis, fire spread, building construction, and code analysis.

Additionally, Mr. Fitz has worked on design and development of machinery, testing of machine operation and product performance, explosive venting of hazardous materials, packaging systems, conveyors, material handling machinery, and presses, including concepts, mechanical design, hydraulic systems, logic and schematics, safety analysis, and constructability. He has also been involved in the design, construction, and operation of an explosive mining machine prototype.

His research topics include materials and their fire behavior and ignition properties, electrical arcing analysis, high temperature accelerants, development of explosives, and energetic materials.