RHINELANDER - Fire and Rescue workers from the Northwoods are learning hands on skills during the Fall International Association of Arson Investigators Conference in Rhinelander.

"It's an opportunity for us to brush up on our skills and apply those skills that we would use on an everyday business with different pieces of equipment," says Daniel Kontos the Public Information Officer for the Wisconsin Branch of IAAI.

He says this seminar is all about learning how to investigate arson on heavy equipment, something that's become a problem in this economy, "Heavy equipment is not immune to that, especially when you're talking about companies that are having a hard time making their payroll and making budget, the temptation may be there for them to try to collect on insurance."

Kontos says insurance fraud and arson go hand in hand and are a problem for everyone, "When you think about the fact that 10 to 20 percent of your insurance premium is used to pay for other people's insurance fraud, that's an impact on all of us."

Local firefighters also know arson can hurt more than our wallets.

"People can be hurt and injured and killed," says Firefighter, Captain Michael Leair of Harshaw .

He says the classes and hands on learning practice make him more confident in his skills, "Their teaching is just phenomenal. We're learning different things all the time."

Daniel Kontos says leaders of the conference are happy to teach such talented people. He says community members can rest assured they've got the best working to keep them safe.

According to Kontos the Wisconsin Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators holds two of these conferences every year.

He says an important aspect of the conference is to get people in both public and private sectors working as a team.

Kontos adds teamwork is essential is arson investigation.