After looking at the five steps in comprehensive incendiary investigation it looks like a form of scientific method used in many other areas of fire investigation. The five steps are fire scene investigation, assessment of investigative needs, formulation and evaluation of a strategy, implementation of strategic plan and presentation of formal investigation. The five steps, like the scientific method, they have a beginning, middle and end. After I go over the five steps then I will identify the methodology in securing the interview, identify the interviews I will need and I will list some question.
The first step of a comprehensive incendiary investigation is fire scene investigation. In the Tight Shoe Inc. report this is shown in the background information, property description, type of incident, fire cause, incendiary device description, evidence, photographs, property, and documentary evidence. This step reflects the work done and collected at the fire scene. The next step is assessment of investigative needs which is shown in the Tight Shoe Inc. report under motive and interviewing firefighters and other first responders. This step is usually done on the scene of the fire or right after. The following step is formulation and evaluation of a strategy which is shown in the Tight Shoe Inc. report under prosecution reports, obtaining search warrants and arson laboratory report. The next step of implementation of strategic plan is shown under insurance and potential criminal violations. The final step of the process is presentation of formal investigation is shown under summation of the investigation.
When I start looking at the people I should interview I must first assess the reliability of the information that the person wil...
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...ire scenes. The case of Tight Shoes Inc. seems to be pretty obvious as I read it, but I can’t image an arson fire that is not obvious. Interviewing the right people and asking the right questions is just as important if not more than finding physical evidence. Being a people’s person and coaxing the right responses is an under stated in the job title of fire investigator. After following the five steps of comprehensive incendiary investigation and finding and asking the right questions to the interviewee will help secure a solid case against an arsonist.
Works Cited
FEMA. Witness-Driven Fire Investigation Protocol . 3 31, 2011. http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/subjects/arson/aaw11/investigation_protocol.shtm (accessed 2 11, 2012).
NFPA. "Fire Investigator." In Principles and Practice to NFPA 921 and 1033, 16-19. Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2012.
Purpose and Scope The purpose of this report is to evaluate The Columbus Division of Fire as a potential employer for Columbus State fire science students. In this report I will focus on desirable traits the Columbus Division of Fire is looking for, as well as the City’s hiring process, training requirements, offered benefits, probationary period, promotional opportunities, and departmental structure. I will also discuss the values of the department, and a typical day in the life of a Columbus Division of Fire Employee.... ... middle of paper ... ...
71 percent of the people that were at The Station Nightclub Fire, which occurred in West Warwick Rhode Island on February 20, 2003, that either died or was injured. This paper will look at the contributing factors in this shocking number as it pertains to fire prevention. When breaking down a case study, this case being The Station Nightclub Fire, there are three main factors you must look at. Those factors are fire behavior, human behavior, and building behavior.
The most pressing issue facing Detroit, in regard to fire, is the steady amount of burning vacant or delipidated buildings, and second to that is the high rate of home fires. For the purposes of this project, the capabilities of
“Learning basic investigative techniques will make you better at your job and increase your marketability to other firms. It’s also a lot of fun. Your next accident photo or witness interview might be the factor that wins the case.” (Bevans, 2004).
Upon the arrival of Jeremy Crowder – SBI, Certified Fire Investigator, K9 Handler & K-9 Hampton a summary of the fire scene was given. A plan was developed for how and where we wanted K-9 Hampton to check for the possibility of accelerants being present. Handler Crowder and K-9 Hampton conducted 3 separate detection surveys of the area for accelerants.
The fire quickly spread due to the wooden framing, after the explosion was caused by the heater being knocked off of the wall by one of the occupants, agents from the state bomb and arson unit are continuing an investigation into the matter.
“Who you gonna call? Ghost Busters” (Brillstein & Reitman, 1984). In 1984, a very popular comedy movie “Ghostbusters” hit the big screen and this one quote from the movie seemed to stick in everyone’s head. The question that seems to be posed when there is a crisis or emergency situation today would be “Who you gonna call? The fire department”. In today’s society fire departments have become the “catch-all” for every kind of emergency. Don’t you agree? Fire is still a big part of the fire service, “in 2015, every twenty-three seconds a fire department was responding to a fire” (NFPA (Ed.). , 2015). However, the fire service has evolved from just “putting the wet stuff on the red stuff” mentality to a profession
For instance, upon reaching the crime scene, crime scene investigators must manage and reconstruct the ‘event’ that happened by isolating the area, documentation, and organization. They will have to walk through the scene and determine how the evidence should be collected. They will also take photographs of the crime scene and the evidence. Moreover, crime scene investigators have to note down every single detail of their observations and findings. Furthermore, they collect all physical evidence that are relevant to the case by using tweezers, black light for latent fingerprints or bodily fluids, and specialized kits. This is a very important procedure that they have to follow because any contamination of the evidence can jeopardize the case. These are accurately represented because in TV shows they show it at the start of a
Icove, D. J., De Haan, J. D., & Haynes, G. A. (2013). Forensic fire scene reconstruction
First, identify and secure the crime scene by establishing the scene dimensions and identify potential safety and health hazards until released by the investigator who has authority on the scene. Second, establish security who will document personnel entering and exiting the scene as well as the purpose for doing so and the time. Third, the lead investigator conducts a walk through to make a plan about how to collect evidence. Fourth, document and process the scene using photographs, videos, and sketches. Fifth,
HM Government (2008) Fire and Rescue Manual, Volume 2, Fire Service Operations, Incident Command, 3rd Ed.
When the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) in New York and New Jersey were discovered, it provided the detectives with information to add to their investigation. The wires, shrapnel, flip-phones, undetonated explosives, and burnt traces from the devices help build a picture on what the bomb used to look like along with the materials it consisted of. The FBI has their own extensive forensic science division and the latest lab equipment where they will look through the evidence. When a similar incident happens, the FBI will use their scientists from their Evidence Response Team (ERT) to link and retrieve the evidence from the scene as well as ensure the scene is safe. When thirty-one people were injured when a bomb exploded in New York City’s
Before a person gets started, they should learn as much as they can about how to be a firefighter. Though it's important to learn the facts about becoming a firefighter, it's equally important to understand the general trends of the industry. It will be likely that, during the fire department interview, questions will be asked like, "Where do you see the fire service in five years?" or "What are the two biggest concerns in this career field today?" So, it’s
There are many steps that have to be taken when leading a criminal investigation and investigating a crime scene. Firstly, detectives have to try and figure out why and how a crime was committed. They examine a crime scene looking for information or clues such as fingerprints, weapons, and DNA. They investigate the victims’ history to define why someone would want to harm them. After they have formed a hypothesis, they try to find proof that somebody committed a crime so that they can arrest the suspects. They look at both the cause and the actual evidence of the crime and try to see if their hypothesis makes sense. The suspects then enter the criminal justice system where they are tried using the evidence collected at the crime scene.
Fire investigators are responsible for discovering how a fire is started or caused, and there are many ways that one can be started like, “bad electrical wiring, improper cooking appliances, or an unsupervised fireplace (Jim Lee interview), these are the most common accidents that occur in a household or building”. Investigators have to go through a whole process trying to discover how a fire is started, “after the firefighters extinguish the fire they then begin to gather all the items and evidence that surrounds where the incident was started and then find clues from them on how a fire could have started ” (MyPlan). Once all the evidence is gathered they then record the incident with videos or still cameras and must be reported and sent to court where it will be analyzed for more clues on how or who started it (“Fire Investigation”MyPlan.com 1). “This process on an average can last up to 1 month but I have experienced an investigation that lasted almost year that occurred at a school from false wiring” (Jim Lee interview). Although it can be very time to consume and tiring mentally and physically At the end of the day it is all worth knowing that you were able to discover how a fire was started and finding out new ways that a fire can be prevented the end of the year