FIA1

FIR 4305, Fire Investigation and Analysis 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit I Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Correlate the characteristics of fire loss and arson necessary to conduct fire investigation and analysis. 1.1 Explain the basic elements of fire dynamics and the chemistry of combustion. 1.2 Explain the skills necessary for an investigator to display in cause and origin investigations.

2. Evaluate a fire scene in accordance with fire industry best practices and legal requirements.

2.1 Describe the scientific method.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

1.1 Unit Lesson Chapter 2, pp. 60–63, 68–72, 87–89, 96–109, 128–135, 145, 159–160 Unit I Essay

1.2 Unit Lesson Chapter 1, pp. 1–6, 10–22, 26–29, 32–33, 51 Unit I Essay

2.1 Unit Lesson Chapter 2, pp. 60–63, 68–72, 87–89, 96–109, 128–135, 145, 159–160 Unit I Essay

Reading Assignment Chapter 1: Principles of Fire Investigation, pp. 1–6, 10–22, 26–29, 32–33, 51 Chapter 2: The Basic Science and Dynamics of Fire, pp. 60–63, 68–72, 87–89, 96–109, 128–135, 145, 159– 160

Unit Lesson Fire is the costliest public safety problem with its costs far exceeding all causes of crime. For society to effectively deal with this challenge, we must have accurate information surrounding fire (e.g., causes, cost, frequency, deaths, injuries). Having this type of information will allow for the development of educational programs and for the allocation of resources to fight this problem. This is one of the reasons why the fire investigator’s role of accurately identifying and reporting the cause and origin of fires is so important; we cannot prevent what we cannot identify. Arson is a crime, and the life and liberty of persons accused of this crime are impacted by the professionalism with which an investigation is conducted. This course will give you a foundation in the principles of conducting a scientifically sound fire investigation; inform you about laws that are pertinent to this field; and give you the knowledge to help you understand what to look for, who you can rely on to assist you in an investigation, and what the fire patterns and dynamics are telling you in relation to the cause and origin of the fire. You are encouraged to review the resource below, which details an arson investigation. To access the following resource, click the link below.

UNIT I STUDY GUIDE

Fire and Arson in the United States

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WCBI-TV. (2018, April 23). Arson investigation 04-23-18 [Video]. ClipSyndicate. http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/7348325?wpid=6424

Click here to access a transcript of the video. Today’s fire investigators are being held to a higher standard of professional practice than ever before. It is no longer acceptable to claim expertise based on a job title or years of experience in the fire service. Professionals are often required to be declared as experts with reliable opinions and may be required to pass Daubert challenges by attorneys in the courtroom. The reason this is called a Daubert challenge is due to a landmark case in the fire investigation world, which is known as Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1993). The responsibility for determining if scientific opinion evidence will be allowed is given to the judge who will determine if someone may be declared as an expert based on the Daubert standard. Investigating the cause and origin of a fire is a complex task and requires a wide variety of skills and expertise. Recognizing this fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) developed recommendations for educational subject areas of competency for fire investigators in NFPA 1033: The Standard Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigators (NFPA, 2014). These competencies are also referenced in NFPA 921: Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, and they state that fire investigators should maintain up-to-date knowledge beyond the high school level in the following 16 areas:

• fire science;

• fire chemistry;

• thermodynamics;

• thermometry;

• fire dynamics;

• explosion dynamics;

• computer fire modeling;

• fire investigation;

• fire analysis;

• fire investigation methodology;

• fire investigation technology;

• hazardous materials;

• failure analysis and analytical tools;

• fire protection systems;

• evidence documentation, collection, and preservation; and

• electricity and electrical systems (Icove & Haynes, 2018). Besides this course and NFPA recommendations, there are other agencies to assist you as you grow in the field of fire investigation. Beyond credentialing and certifications, these groups also provide excellent continuing education programs to ensure your skills stay up-to-date with the rapidly evolving research being done in fire dynamics and modeling. The International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) is an organization that focuses on fire investigation and arson (IAAI, n.d.). They offer the following fire investigation certifications:

• Certified Fire Investigator (IAAI-CFI),

• Fire Investigation Technician (IAAI-FIT),

• Evidence Collection Technician (IAAI-ECT), and

• Certified Instructor (IAAI-CI) (IAAI, n.d.). The National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) is an excellent resource for training materials. NAFI is a multinational group of fire investigators dedicated to progressive practices in inspection, education, and certification. They provide a wide variety of NFPA 921 training programs as well as the following certifications:

• Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI),

• Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator (CVFI), and

• Certified Fire Investigation Instructor (CFII) (NAFI, n.d.).

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There are more demands on today’s fire investigator than ever before. Conducting investigations in a professional manner in line with nationally recognized standards is now the rule and not the exception for a fire investigator. As a result, it is imperative that fire investigators continue their education and development by taking courses; attending seminars, webinars, and conferences; and reading trade journals pertaining to this subject. To be able to investigate the cause and origin of a fire, the professional fire investigator must have a solid foundation in the basic science and dynamics of fire (i.e., understanding basic atomic theory, the fire tetrahedron, states of fuels, and basic fire dynamics). Many longtime firefighters do not have a grasp on some of the fundamentals that the investigator must master. Pyrolysis is the process by which fuels are broken down into small enough pieces to undergo combustion. Combustion is a chemical process of oxidization that generally occurs at a rate that will produce heat and light. The fire tetrahedron is a fundamental of fire science that explains the four coexisting conditions that must exist for fire to take place. Remove any one of these four conditions and the fire will extinguish.

Understanding how heat and fire moves is another key to successfully interpreting a fire scene for the cause and origin of the fire. Heat is transferred through convection, conduction, and radiation. Conduction is thermal energy moving from a warmer to a cooler area of a solid material and requires direct physical contact between the source and the target that is receiving the heat energy. Convection is the transfer of heat energy via liquid or gas from a warmer to a cooler area. Radiation is the emission of heat energy via electromagnetic waves from a surface temperature that is above absolute zero (Icove & Haynes, 2018). A fire burns in a predictable manner over time, which can be divided into four stages as indicated in Table 1.1 and Figure 1.2 below.

Figure 1.1: The fire tetrahedron (Icove & Haynes, 2018, p. 130)

Stage Description

Beginning or incipient stage Low heat, low smoke, no visible flames

Growth stage More heat, heavy smoke, flame spread

Free-burning stage Massive heat and smoke output, extensive flames

Decay stage Decreased heat and flames, considerable smoke, and smoldering

Table 1.1: Stages of fire (Icove & Haynes, 2018)

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The study of fire dynamics as applied to fire scene investigation is derived from the combined disciplines of physics, thermodynamics, chemistry, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been at the forefront of fire dynamics research, and they have produced many papers and videos on these subjects that can assist you in developing a greater understanding of these concepts.

References Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993). Icove, D. J., & Haynes, G. A. (2018). Kirk's fire investigation (8th ed.). Pearson. International Association of Arson Investigators. (n.d.). Certifications & designations.

https://www.firearson.com/Training-Credentials/Certifications-Designations/Default.aspx National Association of Fire Investigators. (n.d.). Why should I certify? http://www.nafi.org/certification/ National Fire Protection Association. (2014). NFPA 1033: Standard for professional qualifications for fire

investigator.

Suggested Reading In order to access the following resources, click the links below. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has done extensive research into fire behavior. The following video explains the difference in fire behavior that is seen between newer and older dwelling fires. Jarhead96. (2010, December 17). New vs old room fire final UL [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDNPhq5ggoE For many years, much of what we believed to happen in a fire was not scientifically based but, rather, was simply based on observations and suppositions that we passed from one generation of firefighters to the next. Daniel Madrzykowski, a Fire Protection Engineer with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has been a pioneer in studying the actual science of fire and how it behaves. The following document is a great primer in what we have learned from his teachings.

Figure 1.2: Fire development phases (Icove & Haynes, 2018, p. 146)

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Madrzykowski, D. (2012). Fire dynamics: The science of fire fighting. International Fire Service Journal of Leaders and Management, 7, 7–15. https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Membership/member- sections/Metro-Chiefs/Urban-Fire-Forum/2014/FireDynamicsMadrzykowski.ashx?la=en

NIST has been at the forefront of research efforts to help firefighters better understand how fire behaves in order to more safely and effectively fight fires. This information is also invaluable to the fire investigator as it helps him or her interpret what was left behind after the fire to determine cause and origin. It is highly recommended that you read the following article and watch the videos below to gain a greater understanding of fire dynamics. National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2010). Fire dynamics. U.S. Department of Commerce.

https://www.nist.gov/el/fire-research-division-73300/firegov-fire-service/fire-dynamics National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2016, October 4). 360° video of a kitchen fire [Video]. U.S.

Department of Commerce. https://www.nist.gov/video/360deg-video-kitchen-fire National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2018, February 22). NIST fire dynamics simulator 2016

[Video]. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.nist.gov/video/nist-fire-dynamics-simulator-2016 Click here to access the transcript for the video above.