Erik J. Mickelsen is a full-time Fire Marshal and Fire Investigator with the Franklin Township Fire Prevention Department in Somerset County, New Jersey, where he has served since 2005. He also serves as the Chief Fire Marshal for Bound Brook Borough, a position he has held since 2007. 

Since November 2004, Erik has been an active investigator with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Fire Investigation Unit, contributing to numerous complex and high-profile investigations.

Erik is a Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) through the International Association of Arson Investigators and a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) through the National Association of Fire Investigators. He is also a certified Evidence Collection Technician (ECT) and holds additional certifications in post-blast and wildland fire investigation.

In addition to his investigative work, Erik has developed and delivered multiple fire investigation training programs. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he teaches Introduction to Fire / Arson Investigation.

As a fire inspector, Erik has conducted over 28,000 fire safety inspections across a wide range of occupancies, including residential dwellings, commercial properties, data centers, warehouses, and industrial facilities.

He is also recognized for his expertise in forensic fire scene sketching, producing detailed and accurate scene documentation and reconstructions to support investigative findings.

Erik holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree through Columbia Southern University.