Preservation of Fire Scene Evidence Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays

Preservation of Fire Scene Evidence Introduction Fire dynamics are crucial, as they constitute a process, whereby firefighters or fire officers can comprehend the manner in which a fire intensifies and spreads in a structure, and the best method to be adopted for controlling it. Several computer models have been developed, in order to describe the application of fire dynamics to the fire-ground. Fuel and construction techniques have an impact upon the fire environment, and this has transformed the model of fire behaviour that fire service personnel have familiarised themselves with for decades[Mad13]. In addition, the changing conditions on the fire-grounds have made it essential for firefighting procedures to evolve. [Avo15]. After the firefighters extinguish a fire, the fire investigation commences. This entails the examination of all the incidents that relate to the fire. Similar to the procedures carried out at a crime scene, the evidence at the scene of the fire has to be collected and analysed. However, there are several additional dangers and difficulties involved in investigating a fire[Abo15]. The area where the fire had taken place has to be carefully examined, in order to determine the cause of the fire. Examination of the Scene The area in which a fire breaks out has to be cordoned off. This will facilitate the preservation of evidence and restrict access to only the authorised personnel. A complete documentation of the site of the fire and the related evidence has to be undertaken. In addition, every effort should be made to create a plan of the premises that provides the location of objects. While doing so, concession has to be made for the disturbances created during the fire-fighting exercise[Abo15]. As such, the optimal manner of conducting an investigation should commence with an external examination of the scene. The benefits of this are discovery of entry points, signs of forced entry, suggestions regarding the cause and origin of the fire, artefacts, and safety concerns. It is essential to examine every door and window, in order to determine whether they had been fastened during the fire. At that juncture, it is necessary to bear in mind that fire-fighters could have forced their way into the building or smashed windows to obtain ventilation[Abo15]. Moreover, the damage ensuing from the fire could be akin to the damage resulting from forced entry. External examination will permit a search for the items that are pertinent to the fire, this could include tools employed for forcing one’s way into to the building, containers of inflammable substances, and ladders. In addition, it could be of significance to record temperature, wind speed and direction, and other weather conditions that affect the propagation and direction of a fire[Abo15]. Establishing the Origin A crucial feature of a forensic fire investigation is to determine the point of origin of the fire or the seat of fire. Several indicators are in vogue that can be utilised for establishing the possible origin of a fire. The area, wherein the fire had commenced will, in general, burn for a longer period and will exhibit the maximum damage. A fire spreads upwards, consequently, the seat of the fire will in all probability be located at a lower level of the damage caused by the fire. All the same, this should not be assumed in all the cases, as some fires spread downwards, especially with respect to certain fuel sources[Abo15]. Investigating a fire tends to be more intricate than dousing it. Thus, fire investigators frequently find themselves examining features that are not directly associated with the fire, expending more time in examining the fire scene in a detailed manner, and scrutinising the debris. As a result, these investigators are exposed to several dangers and undergo persistent physical strain. It has been observed on many occasions that fire investigators neglect personal safety while attempting to establish the origin and cause of a fire. This is a trait that has to be discouraged, as personal safety should be sacrosanct. Thus, prior to conducting the interior examination of the fire scene, it has to be made certain that the place is safe to carry out such investigation. To this end, the atmosphere of the site has to be examined and it has to be determined whether it is safe to work in. Furthermore, it has to be ensured that electrical power to the site of the fire has been terminated, prior to examining electrical appliances, circuits, or wiring[Mar15]. Consequently, fire investigators should cultivate the habit of not working in isolation, as in the event of an accident, there will be no one to come to their rescue. Furthermore, personal protective equipment should always be used, such as approved boots with steel midsole and toes, hardhat, gloves, self-contained breathing apparatus, eye protection, and work uniform. Significantly, the fire investigator should strictly abstain from eating or drinking at the scene of the fire[Mar15]. Functions of the Fire Investigating Officer The first investigating officer to enter the site of a working fire has to perform several important functions. First, the building has to be examined from all its corners, preferably with a device for recording images, this could be a camera or mobile device. Several images of the fire should be recorded from different angles and different locations around the building on fire[DeM10]. Second, the witnesses of the fire and neighbours have to be engaged in conversation. Whilst doing so, the name, address and date of birth of any witness with information has to be recorded. An endeavour should be made to obtain the details of what had transpired, as well as the causes for the fire proposed by these witnesses. As such, rumours or irrational views should be ignored[DeM10]. It is not the sole responsibility of the fire investigator to preserve the physical evidence and other features of the fire scene, and all personnel at the site of the fire are accountable in this regard. It is obligatory for firefighters to adopt all possible reasonable measures to safeguard and preserve the entire fire scene, undisturbed and intact. In addition, they have to ensure that the fixtures, furnishings and contents are in the same place that they had been in, prior to the fire. A systematic inspection and analysis of the fire scene enables the investigator to establish the origin, cause, and ignition conditions of the fire[Smi97]. In addition, fire investigations differ significantly from other varieties of investigation. This is on account of the special issues pertaining to evidence that are associated with such investigations. The preservation of the fire scene is a principle that has to be adhered to in every fire scene, including accidental or incendiary incidents. This is due to the fact that the cause of the fire is usually not evident till the completion of the investigation[Smi97]. As a result, the interpretative or evidentiary value of the physical evidence, at the scene of the fire, could prove to be indeterminate until the completion of the investigation. Preservation of the fire scene commences with the advent of the first-arriving units. It is necessary to prevent improper preservation, as this leads to the contamination, destruction, loss, or unwarranted dislocation of physical evidence at the site of the fire, thereby diminishing its worth. Consequently, the fire investigator or incident commander has to prevent unauthorised and unnecessary intrusions into the fire scene[Smi97]. At the same time, fire suppression activities have to be reduced to the absolute minimum. Risk Assessment Upon integrating risk assessment and acceptability of risk, fire service is challenged in the areas of acceptability, determination, applicability and implementation. As such, it is necessary to determine whether an organisation effectively employs risk management as an essential feature of its command decision taking, and whether it is adopted invariably by all the operating personnel at the site of the emergency incident. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has been preoccupied with revising and widening the scope of the initial rules of engagement for structural firefighting, with a view to making them more relevant to the contemporary problems associated with fire service operations[Nau09]. As such, dynamic management of risk, per se, entails effective, informed and unambiguous decision making during the various stages of an incident. In this context, Situation Awareness (SA) denotes the observation of environmental features from a temporal and spatial perspective, discernment of their gist, and forecast of their position in the near future[Nau09]. Incident Command Environment Incidents tend to produce a command environment that increases in intensity with the increase in intricacy and scale. All the same, the commander has to be cognisant of the fact that intensity is relative to the circumstances and position experienced by individuals involved in such incident. Thus, a firefighter operating actively in a dwelling fire will undergo a more intense experience of the incident, in comparison to an official placed external to the building in a position of command. As a consequence, understanding the entire context and environment by the commander is crucial for achieving a successful exercise of command[Her081]. Incident command forms a part of the operational context, and this assumption becomes glaringly evident at the operational levels of response to a fire incident. All the same, it is indispensable for commanders to have a complete understanding of the command environment of the incident. The necessity for a more extensive understanding increases with escalating intensity and intricacy of the incident[Her081]. At the most basic level incident commanders, chiefly deal with internal factors that are primarily limited to the site of the incident. With an upsurge in complexity, scale and intensity, incident commanders have to envisage an enhanced level and frequency of issues pertaining to external Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) support, multi-agency requirements, and media, political and legal factors. As a consequence, the requirements of the FRS Leadership Model depict the demands of competent incident command at every level of a successful FRS career[Her081]. The principal objectives of incident management plans are as follows. First, save and protect the people who are in immediate danger. Second, ensure that the incident does not deteriorate and prevent threats from the incident to the individuals in the vicinity. Third, secure the safety of the operational personnel. Fourth, protect the environment, infrastructure and property[Dep07]. As such, the incident commander, at the strategic level, should take charge of affairs and arrive at decisions. The latter activity should be on the basis of the prevailing conditions and what could be expected to transpire subsequently. Significantly, the incident commander should be capable of altering or improvising the adopted strategy, on the basis of the requirements of the incident, as well as the information regarding the incident received by him[Dep07]. Examples of Ineffective Service Operations The majority of the fire investigators possess a general idea regarding fire behaviour and rely upon their experience. These investigators, frequently ignore certain details without any noteworthy shortcoming. All the same, fires take place where such details are critically important, and can thus be of considerable help in interpreting the evidence[Dry15]. Stardust Club Fire The investigation of the Stardust Club fire disclosed several important lacunae in regulatory control. These shortcomings facilitated the employment of an extremely dangerous arrangement of combustible materials to be utilised in a place of public assembly. The rapid spread of the fire was demonstrated via a full-scale test. However, there had been sufficient information regarding that particular configuration of combustible materials, to assess their latent danger. This fire took place in 1981 in Dublin and proved fatal for 48 people. The investigation revealed that several factors had contributed to this abnormally high level of fatalities[Dry15]. All the same, the cardinal reason was attributed to the swiftness with which the fire had developed. [The125]. The rapid development of a fire tends to raise the suspicion that an accelerant had been used maliciously to start the fire. This aspect of rapid development was absent in the Stardust Club fire. Nevertheless, it was noted that the grouping and alignment of carpet tiles, where the fire had commenced, was hazardous. The full-scale demonstration of the fire’s development, undertaken by the Fire Research Station, affirmed that these carpet tiles had been central to the rapid development of the fire. The fire safety engineer should have clearly described this dangerous situation to the authorities[Dry15]. In addition, the fire investigator could have benefitted if he had emphasised this arrangement of combustible material as the primary cause of the fire. King’s Cross Underground Station [Ear14]. In 1987, a major fire incident transpired at the King’s Cross Underground Station. This event demonstrated the presence of a substantial gap in the understanding of fire behaviour. The fire was noticed beneath escalator No. 4, which along with two other escalators, served the Piccadilly Line from this station. The fire was noticed around a third of the way from the lower level. The fire progressed beyond the escalator steps and spiralled towards the other side of the escalator shaft. This could be construed from the damage caused to the ceiling of the escalator shaft. Individuals, who had witnessed this incident claimed that the fire had spread rapidly. As such, the booking hall had been subsumed by the fire within minutes[Dry15]. Every fire investigator has to thoroughly peruse the technical feature of the report provided by the inquiry into the King’s Cross fire. Some portions of the evidence had indeed been of a confusing nature, and could result in misinterpretation if a superficial application of the rules had been undertaken. Therefore, fire investigators have to be circumspect, while identifying the causes of fire at the site of the incident. Conclusion In order to avert the misinterpretation of confusing evidence at the fire scene, it is necessary to apply a combination of fire dynamics and common sense. Therefore, a fire investigator has to be very careful in in identifying the causes of fire and assessment of risks, so that heavy losses can be prevented at fire scenes. In addition, it is necessary for a fire investigator to be cognisant of the fundamental principles of fire dynamics and fire science. This will enable the investigator to identify fuel configurations that could prove to be hazardous. Growing knowledge of fire behaviour will lead to reliable modelling techniques that will make it possible to demonstrate the validity of the conclusions. Significantly, such models will render the expensive full-scale tests redundant. References 1. About Forensics Co, 2015. Fire Investigation. [online] Available at: [Accessed 24 October 2015]. 2. Avon Fire Scene Examination Services, 2015. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2015]. 3. DeMars, D., 2010. An officer's primer; fire scene observation and preservation. Minnesota Fire Chief, Jan/Feb, pp. 29-29. 4. Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government Her Majesty's Government UK, 2007. National Incident Command System. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 October 2015]. 5. Drysdale, D., 2015. Learning from experience: Fire Investigation in Great Britain. [online] Available at: [Accessed 26 October 2015]. 6. Early, C., 2014. November 18, 1987: Fire at King's Cross Underground station leaves 31 dead. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2015]. 7. Her Majesty's Government United Kingdom, 2008. Fire and Rescue Manual Volume 2 Fire Service Operations. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 October 2015]. 8. Madrzykowski, D., 2013. Fire Dynamics: The Science of Fire Fighting. International Fire Service Journal of Leadership & Management, Volume 7, pp. 7-15. 9. Marine Accident Investigators' International Forum, 2015. Fire Scene Investigation. [online] Available at: [Accessed 24 October 2015]. 10. Naum, C., 2009. Protect Yourself: Your Safety, Health and Survival Are Your Responsibility. [online] Available at: [Accessed 25 October 2015]. 11. Smith, D. W., 1997. The Firefighter's Role in Preserving the Fire Scene. Fire Engineering, 150(1), pp. 103-108. 12. The Journal, 2012. Fire services call for change 31 years on from Stardust tragedy. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2015]. Read More

Preservation of Fire Scene Evidence - Coursework Example

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