A BRIEF HISTORY
FIANZ was formed in 1983 as Chapter No 47 of the International Association of Arson Investigators Incorporated (IAAI). FIANZ is registered with the Companies Office as an Incorporated Society, and with Inland Revenue Department as a Not-For-Profit Organisation.

The IAAI was formed in the United States of America in 1949, following concern at the apparent increase of suspicious and deliberate fires, the lack of expertise in the field to fully identify and prosecute arson, and the lack of liaison between governmental departments and private entities involved in this field. Its membership (now exceeding 8,000) are from many countries around the world, including within North & South America, Great Britain and the European Union, Australia and New Zealand.

The situation in New Zealand in 1983 was very similar to that in the United States in 1949. FIANZ was formed to draw from the IAAI's experiences adapted to New Zealand conditions, and to work towards the prosecution and suppression of arson in New Zealand. The Association is proud that it and its members have played a leading role in providing premier education of fire investigation in New Zealand together with liaison between the various interested parties that is today seeing a more accurate determination of all fire causes and the prosecution and suppression of arson.investigation.

The Association's original title was changed in 1996 to its current title to recognise that an investigator must be proficient in the investigation of the origin and cause of all types of fires to be able to correctly identify and prosecute arson.

Important goals attained by the Association are:
1983 - the first Chapter of the IAAI outside of North America.
1986 - recognised by the New Zealand Fire Service as being a kindred organisation.
1993 - the first Chapter to host the IAAI's annual world-wide conference outside of North America.

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