Importance of First Responders to the Fire Investigation

2. Importance of First Responders to the Fire Investigation • First responders see the scene in its most pristine condition and have the opportunity to observe that • First responders affect the integrity of the scene and its evidence through their actions and inactions • First responders have choices in suppression and overhaul that affect the patterns and evidence left behind for interpretation by the fire investigator

3. Observe: FIRES • Fire characteristics and behavior: • Color of smoke and flames • Velocity of smoke • Light push or heavy push • Height and level of flames • Any odors • Fire behavior

4. Observe: FIRES • Individuals, including the demeanor, dress, location, injuries, smells, behavior, and statements of: • Victims • Witnesses • Crowd members • People leaving the scene

5. Observe: FIRES • Response: • Whether burglar and smoke alarms were sounding • Fire attack pattern • Suppression tactics • Overhaul actions • Moving furniture and contents • Changing the position of any items

6. Observe: FIRES • Entry and exit points: • Condition of doors and windows upon arrival • Were doors and windows were closed or open? Locked or unlocked? • Whether or not door had to be forced to make entry • Condition of utilities upon arrival • Who or what broke windows

7. Observe: FIRES • Strange: • Any item, condition, or absence of an item or condition that seems unusual, out of the ordinary, unexpected, or out of place • Poor housekeeping • Evidence of a possible crime

8. Implement: Details for Our Unit • WHAT observations you are responsible for making: • List • List • List

9. Preserve • Maintain the scene as close as possible to the condition in which it was found. • Treat the scene as a crime scene and every item as a piece of evidence. • Implement fire attack methods that preserve evidence (combination stream, avoid aiming at fire base, restrain amount of water used)

10. Preserve • Implement overhaul methods that preserve evidence (thermal imaging cameras, make small holes with poles, minimize drywall removal, do not remove items from the room, refrain from breaking out windows) • Do not move items or change positions of knobs and controls unless absolutely necessary. • Do not use gasoline-powered tools.

11. Preserve • Establish one point of ingress/egress. • Limit scene access to only authorized professionals. • Log personnel in and out. • Establish a perimeter outside the scene and keep civilians out. • Cordon off deceased victims and their belongings for later processing.

12. Implement: Details for Our Unit • WHAT scene preservation actions our unit practices and WHO is responsible for implementing them: • List • List • List

13. Document • Write down your observations as soon as possible after the incident. Use the Quick Reference Guide and the Fire Incident Data Form as guides for what observations to record. • Make observations and actions a part of the formal report.

14. Implement: Details for Our Unit • HOW you are to record your observations: • Method

15. Communicate • Know department policy and your chain of command. • Report your observations and actions to your supervisor, chief, Incident Commander, or other pre-designated person. • Alternatively, report directly to the fire investigator.

16. Implement: Details for Our Unit • WHO you report your observations and actions to: • Name

17. Implement: Details for Our Unit • WHAT we put in our report, WHO writes that report, and HOW you ensure that your information is included • What • Who (name) • How (mechanism)

18. Implementation Tools • Use the Quick Reference Guide: stow it in a convenient place so you can review it before and after each call, as well as use it as a guide for what observations to write down and report • Read the User’s Guide and implement some of the suggested actions. • Explore ways to make these principles an ongoing conversation for your unit (mention ideas from the Instructor’s and Supervisor’s Guide)