NOTES Flashcards
1
Q
Role of FILO
A
- Attend fire where result in death or serious injuries
- Assist with area and district fire inestigation related enquiries
- Arrange Police attendee at fire scene when requried
- Provide other advice or expertise as required
- Co-ordinate fire investigation training for Police employees in Area and District
2
Q
SFI will attend …
A
- Fire where fatalities occur
- Fire where serious - life threatening injuries occur
- Fire in buildings where built in fire safety features fails or not perform to expected standard
- Structure fires where cause is suspicious or not determined
3
Q
What the FILO discuss with SFI ?
A
- Hand over of the scene
- Access to the fire scene
- Process for examination and investigation
- I.D and collect evidence from scene
4
Q
What to ask an incident controller at the scene ?
A
- Time and date of the call and manner of it was received
- What appliance attend ?
- What state the fire was in when fire service arrived ?
- What action were taken ? Particularly entry of the building and ventilating it after the fire
- Whether they thought the fire was suspicious and if so why ?
5
Q
Evidence of Wilful Causes of Fire ?
A
- Evidence of explosives
- Evidence of accelerants
- Misdirect Fire service
- Multiple fires
- Uneven burning
6
Q
Common methods of fire :
A
- Candles - Left to burn down
- Chemical Reaction
- Eletrical Apparus
- Eletrical matches
- Molotov Cocktail
7
Q
Examples where carelessness may cause fire :
A
- Misusing eletricity
- Burning rubbish
- Setting fire work
- Ironing left on flat surface
- Smoking
8
Q
Faults examples :
A
- Appliances
- Broken power lines
- Gas pipes and fittings
- Dust extractors
- Fans and ventilations systems
9
Q
Natural Causes :
A
- Lighting
- Sun Rays
- Chemical reaction
- Static eletricity
- Rodents eating through wiring or buildings
10
Q
Conferences assist with :
A
- I.D suspects
- Reconstruting of the scene
- Assessing information obtained
- Planning further enquiries
- Establish possible motives
11
Q
Power under the Fire Service Act 1957
A
- Enter private property when it is on fire OR entry is necessary to peform ones duty
- Close Roads
- Remove vehicle impeding, allows entry by breaking into vehicles to effect ones purpose
- Remove people in danger or interfering with operations, use reasonable force necessary to effect ones duty
12
Q
How to link a suspect to an arson ?
A
- Burned facial skin
- Smell of smoke
- Residue of fuel
- Products of combustion on skin
13
Q
I.D suspects by means of (Fires not explosives) :
A
- circumstances of fire
- fingerprints
- Media response
- Info from witnesses and informants
- Info from fire crews on people who regularly attend fires
14
Q
Possible suspects may include ?
A
- Owner Occupier for insurance fruad
- An employee to cover theft, forgery of false pretences
- A criminal to cover their traces of crime such as burglary or homicide
- An angry person suffering from jealously, hatred, desire to revenge
15
Q
Investigate suspects thorougly and according to priority. Obtain their :
A
- Full particulars
- Criminal History
- Vehicles they may have accessed
- Details of associates
- Photographs
16
Q
Complete enquiries to establish the suspects :
A
- Motive
- Mens Rea
- Oppourtunity
- Connection with the scene and crime
- Character, mental background, history, movements and behaviour
17
Q
Difference between GAS and an explosion set ?
A
- Explosions by gas cover a wider area
- Implosions of cabinet
- Medical evidence - suspect/victim may have inhaled gas
18
Q
Fire scene are an unstable environment - injuries caused by :
A
- Inhalation of toxic susbtances
- Ingestion of particules
- Injection from sharp objects
- Airborne dusts, particles
- Tripping on fire debris
19
Q
Fire scene are an unstable environment - Investigators often find themselves :
A
- Searching through an unstable structure
* Excavating the scene to identify the cause of fire
20
Q
What protective clothing should you use at the scene ?
A
- Suitable helmets
- Pair of overalls
- Nose and mouth filter, full face respirator of full BA
- Gloves
- Heavy duty footwear with steel soles and caps
21
Q
Fire scene risks - 4 main building materials and their weakness ?
A
- Timber - Burning and Charring
- Steel - Expand, lose its strength
- Concrete - Spalling
- Masonry - Deterioration of the mortar
22
Q
Initial actions with fires not involving explosions
A
- Briefly interview and informant and witnesses
- Conduct local enquiries
- Secure guard in control scene
- Initial interview of SFI and OC Fire services appliance who attended the scene
- Interview with incident controller at scene 
23
Q
Enquiries - Area canvas of neighbourhood, interview witnesses and obtain statements about :
A
- The fire
- Conduct of people at the fire
- People loitering at the scene before the fire
- Any vehicles seen in the vincinity before the fire
24
Q
Enquiries - People are interviewed :
A
- Owner Occupier of the house
- Person last secured the house, whether locked up the house ?
- Person who found fire, whether house was secure ?
- Person who gave alarm, suspicious person
25
How can insurances help ?
* Assist with investigation once their qualification and authority have been confirmed
* They have private investigators that are experienced and assist with resources
26
Guarding and Controlling a scene :
* Prevent looting
* Preserve evidence
* Prevent further fire / damage
* Be viligant and watch suspects
* Avoid interference with scene
27
Determining the seat of the fire :
* Witness reports
* Wind direction and speed, weather
* The state of the fire at the time
* The direction of the spread
* The colour of the flames and smoke
28
3 steps you should follow with an exhibit at the fire scene :
• Photograph in situ, label exhibits and preserve them in containers
• Use approved arson kits if available, if not use suitable containers
• Take control samples such as:
*Charred timber and ashes or debris from the seat of fire
*Any accelerants found near the scene
*Soil from surrounding area
29
Point of origin is the exact location :
* Component failed
* Fire was maliciously lit
* Accidental fire originated
30
Conclusion of the examination you will be able to determine ?
* Point of origin
* Area of origin
* The seat of fire
31
Where it is difficult to preserve the scene, the investigator mist record the scene prior to demolition by :
* Sketches
* Photos
* Plans
* Video Recording
32
Preliminary internal examination
* Low stock levels in commercial premises
* Building areas in need repair
* Signs of hardship
* Missing family photos, furniture and personal items
* Open filing cabinets or missing files
33
Detailed internal examination - Completed by SFI accompained by Police :
* Damage to wall studs
* Damage to roofing timbers
* Damage to window stills
* Spalling
* Skirting board damage
34
External examinations takes into account :
* What distance debris was scattered
* Adjoining premises which often reveal, accelerants, attempts forced entry, broken windows, forced doors
* Nearby alleyways/streets/driveway
* The periphery of the structure itself
* The yards and outbuildings of the fire effected property
35
The surrounding area of the involved premises may also reveal :
* Business appears to be struggling
* Contents of outbuildings missing
* Accelerants containers
* Property run down
36
External examination - damaged structure may reveal :
* Jemmy marks or other signs of forced entry
* Burn patterns above doors and windows
* Window glass broken before fire was ignited
37
5 steps when conducting area enquiries with fire scene :
1. Send staff to interview people who work at other warehouse to see if any other attempted arsons
2. Conduct a preliminary interview with the owner
* When the premises were last secured and by whom
* Whether he/she knows the cause of fire
* Details of insurance and any suspects
* Type of business
3. Note owners demeanour during prelim interview
4. Complete the interview and obtain formal interviews (informant, owner and witnesses)
5. SITREP to supervisor
38
Charateristic caused by explosives
* catering
* spread debris
* shredding of material
* overlay of dust
* shrapnel marks
39
Initial Actions - Fire involving explosives
* Regular SITREPS Police comms
* If IED located, immediately get the assistance of IED operator from Department of Labour
* Evacuate scene at least 100m away, people to take belongings this will limit items to be cleared. Consider using explosives detector dogs
* Dont use cellphones, portable radios or transmitting devices
40
Exhibits involving explosive :
* Photographs and label exhibits and preserve in containers
| * With each item identify which should be considered as an exhibit
41
Linking suspect to scene of explosive
* Fingerprints/Handwriting
* IED operator may identify signature of offender
* Items from suspects home that could be used to manufacture a device
* Seek advice from explosive expert before searching
42
Stages of systematic examination of scene of fire
* Prepare and organise staff and equipment, clear areas and set clear areas of responsibility
* Prepare examination and arrange for site to be examined systemtically
* Examine the exterior of the fire site
* Conduct detailed internal examination
* Identify cause of fire
43
Fire scene contamination
* Scope
* Cordon
* Common Approach Path
44
Preparing examination
* Arrange scene to be examined when circumstances allow
* Scene to be examined systematically
* Set a coordinated approach
* Log and document decisions made
* Conduct risk assessment
45
Examining scene of fire involving explosives
1. Once scene is cleared safe, conduct scene examination. Use video and photographs as they are useful in court
2. Remember to continually reconstruct
3. Request ESR analyst, ask to bring suitable swabbing material for hands and clothes of any suspects
46
It may be necessary to remove any body parts promptly before they decompose and animal or inspects activity contaminates the scene
* Create a path to the centre of the explosion laying clean unused roll or plastic or using approved stepping plates
* Have ESR analyst swabbing the area immediately (work outwards of the seat)
* Vertical sheets of iron adjacent to the blast
