PROCEDURE & TECHNIQUES & IDENTIFICATION, PRESERVATION & HANDLING OF EVIDENCE

Specialist

A person with expertise brought from outside the agency when specialized knowledge is required in fire investigation.

Assume Control

The act of taking charge of the fire scene to ensure safety of personnel, secure the area, and conduct an initial walkthrough.

Fire Scene Safety

The process of ensuring that all hazards are controlled and that the scene is safe for investigators and responders.

Scene Security

The act of protecting the fire scene from contamination, tampering, or unauthorized entry.

Initial Walkthrough

A preliminary examination of the fire scene to observe conditions and identify possible evidence without disturbing the area.

Initial Walkthrough

The act of maintaining the original condition of evidence to prevent loss, contamination, or alteration.

Documentation

The process of recording observations through notes, photographs, sketches, and reports during fire investigation.

Photography

The act of capturing images of the fire scene, including evidence, patterns, and points of origin, for documentation purposes.

Sketching

The process of drawing the layout of the fire scene showing positions of evidence and structural features.

Evidence Collection

The proper gathering of physical items related to the fire for laboratory examination.

Chain of Custody

The chronological documentation showing the handling, transfer, and storage of evidence from collection to court presentation.

Interview

The process of obtaining information from witnesses, victims, or suspects through questioning.

Interrogation

The formal and systematic questioning of a suspect to obtain facts or admission related to the fire incident.

Origin Determination

The process of identifying the exact location where the fire started.

Cause Determination

The process of identifying the reason or factor that initiated the fire.

Fire Pattern Analysis

The examination of burn patterns, char marks, and fire effects to determine fire behavior and origin.

Point of Origin

The specific location within the fire scene where the fire began.

Area of Origin

The general location or zone where the fire started before pinpointing the exact point.

Elimination Process

The method of ruling out all possible causes of fire until the most probable cause remains.

Hypothesis Testing

The process of forming and testing possible explanations of how the fire started using available evidence.

Fire Dynamics

The study of how fire starts, spreads, and develops based on heat, fuel, and oxygen interaction.

Heat Transfer

The movement of heat through conduction, convection, and radiation affecting fire spread.

Conduction

The transfer of heat through direct contact between materials.

Convection

The transfer of heat through the movement of gases or liquids.

Radiation

The transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves without direct contact.

Flashover

The sudden ignition of all combustible materials in a room due to high temperature.

Backdraft

An explosive ignition of gases when oxygen is suddenly introduced into a confined fire area.

Overhaul

The process of searching for and extinguishing hidden fire after the main fire is controlled.

Reconstruction

The process of recreating the fire scene or sequence of events to understand fire development.

Report Writing

The preparation of a detailed and accurate written account of the fire investigation findings.

Chain of Custody of Physical Evidence

The process of maintaining the security and integrity of physical evidence from the time it is collected until its examination and testing.

Fire Scene Reconstruction

The process of recreating the physical scene during fire investigation through removal of debris and replacement of contents or structural elements to their pre-fire positions.

Fire Analysis

The process of determining the origin, cause, responsibility, and failure analysis of a fire or explosion.

Spalling

The chipping or pitting of concrete or masonry surfaces caused by exposure to heat.

Movement Pattern

Flame and heat movement patterns produced by the growth and spread of fire and combustion products away from the initial heat source, which can be traced back to the origin.

Inverted Cone Patterns (Inverted “V” Patterns)

Triangular burn patterns wider at the base than the top, usually found on vertical surfaces and associated with volatile fuels such as flammable liquids or gas.

Inverted Cone Patterns (Inverted “V” Patterns)

A laboratory test method that separates mixtures into individual components and provides a graphical representation of each component and its relative amount.

Metal Cans

Unused and unlined containers recommended for the collection of liquid and solid accelerant evidence.

Glass Jars

Containers that may also be used for collecting liquid and solid accelerant evidence.

Special Evidence Bags

Specially designed bags intended for the collection and preservation of liquid and solid accelerant evidence.