Arson Investigations Flashcards
Fire scene control, notification and handover
- The Fire Service have control while the fire is in progress. Once the fire is extinguished and any threat to life/property no longer exist, they must have over to the appropriate agency
- The Fire Service will notify Police if it considers the fire was deliberately lit or cause was suspicious. They will also notify Police where fatalities or serious (life-threatening) injuries occur
- Police attend and seek authority over the fire scene. The designated Police investigating officer will confer with the Fire Service Incident Controller to confirm the handover process.
- The Fire Service will not normally handover a fire scene until the danger of fire, or another fire-related hazard has been identified and eliminated, isolated or minimised
- For any fire scene involving multiple agencies, all agencies will consult with each other prior to any investigation or scene examination to develop an investigation plan
- The investigation plan will include an outline of how the investigation will proceed and the role of each agency
Fire Scene examination and Investigation (After the fire has been extinguished) (HAPI)
Specialist Fire investigator will liaise with FILO to these matters;
- Handover of the scene
- Access to the fire scene
- Process for examination and investigation
- Identification and collection of evidence at the fire scene
The Specialist Fire Investigator will conduct an independent investigation into the origin and cause of the fire.
Police responsibility
- Conduct the criminal investigation or coronial enquiry
- Undertake responsibility for the protection, collection and recording of forensic evidence
- Collection and removal of material from a fire crime scene will only be done by Police or other agencies with authority to remove these items
- The preservation, analysis and subsequent disposition of any such material is the responsibility of the Police or other agency with the appropriate authority
Initial action when dealing with fires not involving explosives
- Briefly interview your informant. They may also be the offender
- Secure and control the scene
- Initial interview of the SFI (if present), and O/C of the first fire appliance to attend the scene
- Interview the incident controller at the scene to find out;
- The time and date of the call and the manner it was received
- What appliances attended
- The state of the fire when Fire Services arrived
- What action the Fire Service has taken, particularly in entering the building and ventilating it after the fire
- What information the Fire Service has about the building’s security
- What alterations they have made to the scene (eg forced windows or doors)
- Whether they think the fire is suspicious
- Their opinion of the informant
- Details of people or vehicle acting suspiciously in the vicinity - If the fire is extinguished, ensure the safety of the scene before an initial conference is held with the SFI and Police. Conduct preliminary examination of the scene
- If deemed 1C then re-group and hold a briefing conference
- Confer with other staff and determine a plan of actions. Brief and deploy them to; guard and control the scene, identify and interview witnesses at the scene, conduct local enquiries.
- Contact Communications and provide a SITREP. Ask for assistance if required (FILO, the Police photographer, fingerprint technicians etc)
Guarding and controlling a scene (Considerations for Police)
Scene security considerations for Police are:
- Ensuring the scene is not interfered with
- Exclusion and control of on-lookers, property owners and other interested parties
- preserving evidence
- Preventing looting
- Be aware of re-ignition from hotspots after the fire is extinguished
- Be vigilant and watch for possible suspects
- Identify any witnesses among onlookers and passer-by
- Report all matters of significance to the OC investigations and or scene coordinator
Where it is difficult to preserve the scene
SPPV
In certain circumstances, such as demolitions of specific areas due to safety, it may be difficult to preserve the scene. The investigator must record the scene prior to demolition by;
- Sketches
- Photographs
- Plans
- Video recordings
Personnel appointments
OC investigations should then:
- Appoint an exhibits officer
- Appoint a crime scene coordinator (If required)
- Advise the FILO
- Appoint a scene examiner
External examination
- Adjoining premises which often reveal; accelerants containers, attempts at forced entry, broken windows, forced doors
- Nearby alleyways/streets/driveways
- The yards and outbuildings of the fire affected property
- The periphery of the structure itself
What distance debris was scattered, particularly if drums or cylinders have bee exploded
Surrounding areas may also reveal
- Accelerants containers
- Contents of outbuildings missing
- Property run down
- Business appears to be struggling
Preliminary internal exmaination
Involves a slow walk through the premise from the area of least damaged to that of the most damaged, taking notes of indicators such as;
- Low stock levels in commercial premises
- Building areas in need of repair
- Signs of hardship
- missing family photographs
- Lack of clothing in wardrobe or drawer
- Rifled premises
- Position of clothes if not in wardrobe or draws
- Open filing cabinets or missing files
- Forced entry into an empty till
- Presence of accelerants containers or trails
- Separate unrelated seats of fire
- Owner/occupier attitude during walkthrough (if access is permitted)
- Unusual odours
- Burn patterns
What is the memorandum of understanding
It is an agreement between Police and Fire Services to share information, and details the roles for both organisations in fire investigations.
In particular both agencies want to ensure that in determining the origin and cause of fires.
-Investigation of fire scenes by the fire service and the Police are efficiently coordinated and expertly and independently conducted.
-Any relevant evidence is protected and collected for potential criminal prosecutions or coronial enquiries.
What is a fire investigation liaison officer responsible for (FILO)?
- Attending every fire that results in serious injury or death.
- coordinating fire investigations in their designated area or district.
- Arranging Police attendance at fire scenes where required.
- Maintaining effective working relationships with the relevant fire service investigations liaison officer (FSILO) and fire service specialist fire investigators.
- Assisting ares or districts with fire investigation related queries.
- Ensure communication is maintained with the Police national fire investigation coordinator, police district intel manager and district manager criminal investigations.
- coordinate fire investigations training for and Police employee in your district.
- providing other advice and expertise as required.
When would a fire service specialist fire investigators be called to attend and investigate?
- Fires involving a fatality
- Fire where serious (life threatening) fire related injury has occurred.
- Structure fires where the cause is suspicious.
- Significant fire spread across a property boundary.
- fires in buildings where built in fire safety features have failed, or not performed to known or expected standards.
- Structure fires of 3rd alarm equivalent (at least six appliances) or greater, that may have a significant regional or national consequence.
- Any other fire, upon request from Police or another agency.
Fire scene hazards? Once identified you must…
- Inhalation of toxic substances.
- Ingestion of particles.
- Cuts wounds from sharp objects.
- Air borne dust, particles etc
- Tripping on fire debris
- Falling down, over, onto or into any obstruction or cavities,
- Items falling onto you or causing a chain reaction.
To identify the best method for protection you must consider an assessment of each of the above to prevent an occurrence or mitigate its impact.
What protective clothing must be used?
- A suitable helmet.
- A pair of overalls.
- Nose and mouth filter, full face respirator or full BA (if required and qualified).
- Gloves
- Safety glasses.
- Heavy duty footwear with steel soles and toe caps.
