Cause and Origin Team
Cause and Origin Team
Formulated by the Arson Task Force the Cause and Origin (C&O) Team is the central resource for local fire chiefs upon request, with trained experts to assist in the determination of the cause and origin of fires.
The team is comprised of 30 New York State certified fire investigators, who are volunteer firefighters or police officers. Five teams of six investigators under the supervison of two Deputy Fire Coordinators, Deputy Chief Eugene Malone (Fairview FD) and Sgt. James Cuffe (North Castle PD), are assigned geographically throughout the county.
The primary objectives of the Westchester County Cause and Origin Team is:
- Establish and maintain a quality service to assist fire chiefs in the determination of the cause and origin of suspicious fires throughout the county
- Establish and maintain standards for training and experience of police and fire professionals engaged as cause and origin team members
- Establish and maintain standardized call-out procedures and dispatches for cause and origin teams
- Establish and maintain standardized forms and report writing procedures for cause and origin teams
The team works together with multiple agencies including: local police departments, District Attorney’s Office, Medical Examiner’s Office, Department of Labs and Research-Forensic Lab and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, to name a few. Bringing police and fire professionals trained in fire investigation together in teams, benefits would be realized in cause and origin matters, as well as the subsequent criminal investigations undertaken by local police departments.
Team Members
| Ed Stevenson | Zone 1 [Car 1401] |
Eric Dibartolo | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| James Maganello | Zone 1 [Car 1401] |
John Barirde | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| Unassigned | Zone 1 [Car 1401] |
James Seymour | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| Yonkers FD | Zone 1 [Car 1401] |
Donald Maclennan | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| Unassigned | Zone 1 [Car 1401] |
Lyle Sclazo | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| Lou DiMaglio | Zone 1 [Car 1401] |
Mark Lewis | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| John Leahy | Zone 1 [Car 1401] |
Peter Ciacci (Adjunct) | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| Richard Barber | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
Peter Kelly (Adjunct) | Zone 4 [Car 1404] |
| Joseph Banahan | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
Michael Repp | Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Robert Gerardi | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
James Cuffe (County Car 24) |
Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Joseph Guagliardi | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
Santo Curro | Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Steven Surace | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
Thomas Wright | Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Willaim Sullivan Jr. | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
Joseph Lombardo | Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Vacant | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
J. Andrew Morgans | Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Vacant | Zone 2 [Car 1402] |
William Richardson (Adjunct) |
Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Edward Ladin | Zone 3 [Car 1403] |
(Open Adjunct Position) | Zone 5 [Car 1405] |
| Gus Spedaliere | Zone 3 [Car 1403] |
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Eugene Malone |
Zone 3 [Car 1403] |
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| John Malone | Zone 3 [Car 1403] |
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| Robert Mentrasti | Zone 3 [Car 1403]; |
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| John Peters | Zone 3 [Car 1403] |
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| Anthony Tarricone | Zone 3 [Car 1403] |
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| Robert Fattizzi | Zone 3 [Car 1403] |
Arson Task Force Executive Board Members
| Tim Ward, Asst. District Attorney | District Attorney's Office |
| Nicholas Gasparre, Chief | Emergency Services |
| John M. Cullen, Commissioner | Emergency Services |
| Sgt. James Cuffe (North Castle PD), Deputy Fire Coordinator |
Emergency Services |
| Deputy Chief Eugene Malone (Fairview FD), Deputy Fire Coordinator |
Emergency Services |
| Lou Alagno, Chief | Mt. Pleasant Police Department |
| Capt. Edward Stevenson | Mount Vernon Fire Department |
| Dr. Millard Hyland | County Labs and Research |
| Robert Adamo | County Labs and Research |
| Ernie Carpentieri | County Assoc. of Fire Chief's |
| Nicholas Hodnett, Ph. D. | |
| John M. Coughlin Sr. | |
| Jonathan Friedman | |
| Ex Chief Richard Nagle |