Firefighting Tactics and Forensic Awareness - Article Example

Firefighting tactics and forensic awareness are critical to fire scene evidence presentation Name Professor Institution Date Firefighting tactics and forensic awareness are critical to fire scene evidence presentation Fires cause destruction to lives and property when they occur. The main problem is that as fire spreads, they tend to consume the vital evidence on how they were initiated. When a fire occurs, to put it out requires several professionals ranging from those in fire departments, the emergency services and investigators. The fire fighting department and the investigators are expected to collaborate and come up with a report on the cause of the fire. The information on what caused the fire helps in determining the measures to take to avoid future fire hence save properties and lives. The evidence gathered from the scene helps a lot in making recommendations on the requirements in constructions of the buildings. The information also helps in gaining knowledge on how the fire fighting service should offer education and training on fire. This is based on recorded response of the civilians during the fire as well as evidence collected. Fire investigation varies depending on the type of the fire. The report that is generated from fire investigation has many uses. Some of these uses are; assisting in prosecuting the offenders, assessing the response of the fire fighting rescue and to identify the effectiveness of the fire safety equipment fitted on the building. This essay will look at fire firefighting tactics and forensic awareness as vital tools in fire scene evidence presentation (Kennedy, 2003). When a fire occurs, fire investigations officers are charged with the responsibility of determining the cause of the fire. The officers work in collaboration of the fire fighters and witnesses. The officers are exposed to dangers and hazards hence their safety is given paramount interest. This is because at times they are forced to enter into unstable structures after fire. The safety of themselves and others also lies in their responsibility. The operation of investigating the fire should be led by a lead officer assisted by the fire investigation support team. There should also be a photographer from the department to assist in comprehensive scene investigation. Once the officers enter the scene, scene preservation should be done. This should then be followed by the determination of the cause of fire and finally filling in the report form. The investigation of fire takes three levels. The first level is when the fire seems to have been caused deliberately. In this case, the investigations are carried out through the incident commander. The incident commander involves the police to carry their investigations. In this case, the police are charged with the responsibility of requesting the help of forensic experts (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). The type of investigation is the level two. The fire investigations officer is requested to attend through officer in charge. This category involves fire whose cause is unknown as well as those fires whose cause appears to be deliberate. Others fires in this category involves those which have caused injury and fatalities. The level also involves fires which have been declared to be of special interest according to their nature. Level three fires involve a larger team of fire experts and police. The fire should be extinguished properly in a manner that does not destroy the evidence. Efforts are directed toward preserving the scene especially during handover to different teams. There should be interagency liaison in the operation to investigate the fire (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). Actions that are taken in the onset of fire investigations play a vital role in solving the incidence. The investigation should make sure that no evidence is destroyed during the process of investigations. Once the fire investigator has arrived at the scene of fire, the first step should top observe the scene conditions. The public safety personnel should be the first person on the scene so that information relating to scene can be availed to investigations officers who arrive later. On entering the scene, the response team should observe and note the presence, location and the state of the victims as well as witness (Kennedy, 2003). Other details such as bystanders and activities or vehicles leaving then scene should also be noted. There is also the need to note the status of the fitted fire fighting gears such as sprinklers, ventilations and other suppression techniques. These observation acts in providing the point where the investigations should start. The next step that should be taken is making the scene safe. The safety of the victims and those near the scene should be given the first priority. Caution should be taken to make sure that there are no unnecessary injuries to the fire investigators or others. The responder should then communicate the safety and hazard zones to the others arriving at the scene (Kennedy, 2003). After ensuring safety, the fire scene should be preserved. The responder should note any evidence that appear in the scene. This involves tracing the evidence manually such as discarded containers, trace evidence, arson weapons and unusual items in the scene. There exists threat to evidence which the responder should note and document. These include activities which can destroy the pattern of the fire, salvage activities, weather conditions, leaving of witnesses from the scene and evidence contamination (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). The respondent should take steps to preserve the evidence from anything that can destroy it. The first responders act as the stage setters for the investigators by outlining the security of the scene and documentation of evidence. The final work that the first responders should be involved in is to make sure that they command activities at the scene. This involves communicating to the respective authority (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). The investigator should start by introducing themselves to other officials at the scene. This involves talking with the first responders and the incident commander. The investigator is supposed to determine the need for other personnel after assessing the scene. Through communication with the first respondent the investigation officer gains insight into the initial safety that scene safety. The investigator is responsible to establish procedures that look at the perimeter and control of access to the fire scene to make sure that there is integrity (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). The investigator then focuses on interviewing people who are at the scene. The information given assists the investigators in developing their investigations. The investigator has document operations and security of the scene during the fire. The collected data provides useful information on the origin and spread of fire. After collecting this data, the investigator confirms on the scene safety. This requires the scene to be identified and worked upon by qualified officers. By doing this, no evidence is at risk of loss. The work of investigator is complimented by use of photography to record the scene. The final step of the investigator includes having written descriptions related to the scene. This documentation enables scene recreation to help in investigating and analysis (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). The evidence collected from the scene should be processed by the investigator. Through proper collection and packaging, the evidence value is maintained. The evidence should also be catered from contamination. This involves the investigator making sure that the appropriate collection and packaging procedures are followed at the scene. The evidence should then be transported using the right mechanism by approved personnel to preserve integrity (Kennedy, 2003). Upon arrival at the custody, the required chain of custody should be maintained. To finalize the scene investigations, the investigators should release the scene after making sure that all the evidence has been collected. The handing over should be to the owners or to the authority with jurisdiction (Kennedy, 2003). The investigating officer has a duty to write a fire report. The completed reports are then forwarded to the lead officers to advise and confirm. Upon confirmation, a confirmation memo is written. In a report written about fire incident on Ronald Avenue, Modesto, California a lot of information can be deduced from it. The fire was reported by the Stanislaus County Communications department to the investigator (Tom, 2011). The investigator gives an account of how he was contacted and requested to investigate the structure fire by the battalion chief Bryant. The information that was relied to the investigator included the nature of the fire and presence of fatalities. This was an important step in preparing an investigator, so that they can plan whether to call for assistance. In this case, the investigator requested for leading investigator to be involved. The investigator then collected the initial evidence. In any incidence of fire, the first step that an investigator should take is to look for initial evidence. The evidence acts as a vital tool in looking for the cause of fire. The investigator in this case was able to note that the fire was so hot and fast by accessing the initial evidence. The investigator was able to gain evidence leading involvement of highly flammable liquid (Tom, 2011). The investigator is supposed to gather evidence from the first responders. In this case, the firefighters were the first responders. The first captain to arrive at the scene gave his evidence to the investigator. The first responder’s evidence can help in recreating the evidence and give more information. The investigator is also supposed to look for the evidence from witnesses. In this case, the first witness gives a clear account on the matter; she is able to identify a suspect. The account given by the witness helps in solving the case. In this case, the investigator had to involve the police as it indicated an arson fire. The police involved the detectives and other forensic personnel to help in their investigation. By analyzing this report, it is clear that the investigator has followed all the requirements in doing his job. The successes of such incidences of investigating fire are determined by the investigator (Tom, 2011). Another fire incidence occurred in 2007 in Charleston sofa super store. This incidence was at South Carolina. The incident left nine firefighters dead and loss of property (The National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2011). In this incident, the investigators involved were in the crime investigation department. The fire report indicated that the store lacked the required fire fighting equipments such as sprinklers. In such reports, the recommendations play a vital role in ensuring that there is a low incidence of fire in future. Unless the cause of the fire is determined through proper investigation and filing of reports, it can be hard to ensure safety. The report from this fire recommended that all furniture buildings should comply with fire safety codes and inspections. The stores were also to be made in such a way that they had a mechanism to vent smoke out of the building. This report on the sofa super store acted to help in increasing fire security measures in furniture stores (The National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2011). The investigative reports are vital tools in determining the cause of fire. The fire investigator holds an important position in determining the root cause of fires through use of appropriate measures in collecting and analyzing evidence. The process of investigating the fire starts by collecting the initial evidence from the scene. Different agencies are involved in the process of investigating the fire depending on the type and suspected cause. The police department is involved if there is suspected arson. They work together with the forensic team and other investigators to come up with a conclusive report. Having a good fire fighting techniques and forensic awareness helps in a great way in presenting the scene evidence. The fire investigation has to be carried according to set procedures and techniques so as to give a credible report on the cause of the fire. References Kennedy, P 2003, Flashover and Fire Analysis – A discussion of the practical use of flashover analysis in fire investigations. Sarasota, FL: Investigations Institute. National Fire Protection Association 2004, NFPA 921: Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigation, Quincy, MA: NFPA. The National Institute of Standards and Technology 2011, Charleston Sofa Super Store Fire, South Carolina, 2007, viewed on 14th Nov. 2013, Tom, R 2011, Fire investigation report, Modesto Fire Department, Fire and Arson Investigation Division. Read More

The type of investigation is the level two. The fire investigations officer is requested to attend through officer in charge. This category involves fire whose cause is unknown as well as those fires whose cause appears to be deliberate. Others fires in this category involves those which have caused injury and fatalities. The level also involves fires which have been declared to be of special interest according to their nature. Level three fires involve a larger team of fire experts and police.

The fire should be extinguished properly in a manner that does not destroy the evidence. Efforts are directed toward preserving the scene especially during handover to different teams. There should be interagency liaison in the operation to investigate the fire (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). Actions that are taken in the onset of fire investigations play a vital role in solving the incidence. The investigation should make sure that no evidence is destroyed during the process of investigations.

Once the fire investigator has arrived at the scene of fire, the first step should top observe the scene conditions. The public safety personnel should be the first person on the scene so that information relating to scene can be availed to investigations officers who arrive later. On entering the scene, the response team should observe and note the presence, location and the state of the victims as well as witness (Kennedy, 2003). Other details such as bystanders and activities or vehicles leaving then scene should also be noted.

There is also the need to note the status of the fitted fire fighting gears such as sprinklers, ventilations and other suppression techniques. These observation acts in providing the point where the investigations should start. The next step that should be taken is making the scene safe. The safety of the victims and those near the scene should be given the first priority. Caution should be taken to make sure that there are no unnecessary injuries to the fire investigators or others. The responder should then communicate the safety and hazard zones to the others arriving at the scene (Kennedy, 2003).

After ensuring safety, the fire scene should be preserved. The responder should note any evidence that appear in the scene. This involves tracing the evidence manually such as discarded containers, trace evidence, arson weapons and unusual items in the scene. There exists threat to evidence which the responder should note and document. These include activities which can destroy the pattern of the fire, salvage activities, weather conditions, leaving of witnesses from the scene and evidence contamination (National Fire Protection Association, 2004).

The respondent should take steps to preserve the evidence from anything that can destroy it. The first responders act as the stage setters for the investigators by outlining the security of the scene and documentation of evidence. The final work that the first responders should be involved in is to make sure that they command activities at the scene. This involves communicating to the respective authority (National Fire Protection Association, 2004). The investigator should start by introducing themselves to other officials at the scene.

This involves talking with the first responders and the incident commander. The investigator is supposed to determine the need for other personnel after assessing the scene. Through communication with the first respondent the investigation officer gains insight into the initial safety that scene safety. The investigator is responsible to establish procedures that look at the perimeter and control of access to the fire scene to make sure that there is integrity (National Fire Protection Association, 2004).

The investigator then focuses on interviewing people who are at the scene. The information given assists the investigators in developing their investigations. The investigator has document operations and security of the scene during the fire.

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