JAMIE MCALLISTER, Ph.D., P.E., C.F.I. C.S.P.
Dr. McAllister is the Director of FireTox. She is a licensed fire protection engineer, a forensic toxicologist, a certified fire investigator (CFI), and a certified safety professional (CSP). Dr. McAllister has been involved in the field of fire science since 1995 when she joined the volunteer fire service. The fire service inspired Dr. McAllister to obtain her Bachelor and Master degrees in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.
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In 2010, Dr. McAllister further compounded her expertise in the forensic investigation field by completing her PhD in Toxicology from the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. For over two decades, Dr. McAllister has immersed herself in the research and investigation of fire, combustion, and toxicological incidents and driven change in fire prevention and investigation standards. She has investigated hundreds of fires and offered expert opinions in depositions and trials on issues such as contributory causes in fire deaths and injuries, the impact of code violations and building construction on fire growth and spread, product failures and defects, fire dynamics, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
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In addition to her experience in the research and investigation field, Dr. McAllister also served as an Authority Having Jurisdiction, i.e. code official, for the federal government. In her role as an AHJ and CSP, Dr. McAllister was responsible for the development of fire and life safety programs, as well as, the enforcement of fire and life safety provisions set forth in OSHA regulations, the International Building and Fire Codes, and NFPA standards. Her duties included review of design and construction submittals, laboratory hazard analyses, fire protection and life safety system design and commissioning, management of fire alarm and suppression system inspection, testing, and maintenance, and safety incident investigation. Dr. McAllister is also an adjunct professor in the Fire Protection Engineering Graduate Program at the University of Maryland, College Park where she teaches graduate students about combustion toxicity and human behavior in fire.
BRENDAN MCCARRICK, P.E., C.F.E.I.
Mr. McCarrick is a senior project engineer at FireTox. He received his B.S. in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland in 2013, and his M.Eng. in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland in 2017. During his time in college, Mr. McCarrick also served as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician.
Before joining FireTox, Mr. McCarrick served as a fire protection engineer and code official for the federal government. In this capacity, Mr. McCarrick was responsible for developing campus-wide, as-built drawings for existing fire alarm and fire suppression systems, reviewing design and construction submittals, and designing and commissioning fire protection and life safety systems. Mr. McCarrick was also responsible for fire incident investigation and management of the organization's hot work and fire protection inspection, testing, and maintenance programs.
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In addition to his federal government experience, Mr. McCarrick worked as a fire protection consultant responsible for sprinkler and fire alarm system design, building code interpretation, building inspections, and evacuation planning. He is a licensed FPE in several states and is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI).
ZELDA ZHAO, B.Sc.F.P.E., E.I.T.
Ms. Zhao is a staff fire protection engineer at FireTox. She graduated in December 2022 with her B.S. in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is currently pursuing her M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering. In addition, Ms. Zhao has passed the NCEES Fundamentals in Engineering (FE) exam and holds the Engineer in Training (EIT) credential. Ms. Zhao has experience in the areas of fire safety research, fire modeling and tenability analysis, risk assessments, code compliance, and fire investigation.