Unit 1: NFPA and the scientific method

Question 1

A document, advisory or informative in
nature and contains only nonmandatory
provisions.

Answer 1

Guide

Question 2

A document containing mandatory
provisions, using the word “shall” to indicate
requirements. It is generally suitable for
mandatory reference by another standard or
code or for adoption into law.

Answer 2

Standard

Question 3

A level of conduct exercised
by a reasonably prudent professional. A judicial
term with legal implications.

Answer 3

Standard of care

Question 4

NFPA 921 committee members are

made up of interested parties:

Answer 4

Public sector.
‒
Private sector.
‒
Manufacturers.
‒
Attorneys.

Question 5

Standards are revised every

Answer 5

5 years (shall)

Question 6

Guides are revised every

Answer 6

3 years (should)

Question 7

NFPA 1033 is revised every

Answer 7

5 years

Question 8

NFPA 921 is revised every

Answer 8

3 years

Question 9

•   Identifies minimum job performance 
requirements (JPRs) for both public and 
private sector investigators.
•   Failure to meet these minimum JPRs or 
comply with this document can preclude 
you from testifying.

Answer 9

NFPA 1033

Question 10

How many chapters does NFPA 1033 contain?

Answer 10

4

Question 11

What are they?

Answer 11

‒
Administration (Scope/Purpose).
‒
Referenced Publications.
‒
Definitions (20).
‒
Fire Investigator (requisite knowledge/skills, 
JPRs).

Question 12

NFPA 1033

Chapter 1 states the investigator shall have and
maintain, at a minimum, an up-to-date basic
knowledge of the following ____ topics beyond the high-school level.

Answer 12

16

Question 13

The body of knowledge 
concerning the study of fire 
and related subjects (e.g., 
combustion, flame, heat 
transfer, thermodynamics, 
kinetics, fluid mechanics, fire 
safety), and their interaction 
with people, structures and 
the environment.

Answer 13

Fire Science

Question 14

The study of chemical processes that occur in 
fires, including changes in state, decomposition 
and combustion (e.g., pyrolysis).

Answer 14

Fire chemistry

Question 15

The science of energy conversion involving

heat (e.g., heat transfer).

Answer 15

Thermodynamics

Question 16

•   The science and 
practice of temperature 
measurement (heat 
versus temperature).
•   Heat is energy.
•   Temperature is a 
measurement of energy.
•   Fahrenheit, Celsius, 
Rankin, Kelvin.

Answer 16

Thermometry

Question 17

The detailed study of 
how chemistry, fire 
science, and the 
engineering disciplines 
of fluid mechanics and 
heat transfer interact to 
influence fire behavior.

Answer 17

Fire Dynamics

Question 18

The study of explosions and their associated

effects.

Answer 18

Explosion Dynamics

Question 19

Using quantitative 
information to provide 
an understanding of 
the complexities of 
fire and the factors 
that influence fire 
growth and spread.

Answer 19

Computer Fire Modeling

Question 20

The process of determining the origin, cause

and development of a fire or an explosion.

Answer 20

Fire Investigation

Question 21

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

Answer 21

Fire Analysis

Question 22

The organizational and 
analytical process necessary 
in a successful fire 
investigation (i.e., the scientific 
method).

Answer 22

Fire Methodology

Question 23

Describe what equipment is 
used to process the scene, 
and analyze evidence 
collected from the scene (e.g., 
cameras, thermocouples and 
meters).

Answer 23

Fire Investigation Technology

Question 24

Safety recommendations 
for environments containing 
hazardous substances and 
proper personal protective 
equipment (PPE).

Answer 24

Hazardous Materials

Question 25

``` Methods and tools used to analyze fires of any size and organize information collected during the investigation ```

Answer 25

Fire analysis and analytical tools

Question 26

``` An understanding of the role that fire protection systems play in detection and suppression, as well as how fire growth and spread were affected (added in 2014). ```

Answer 26

Fire Protection Systems

Question 27

``` Accepted principles and practices to properly document, collect and package fire scene evidence to support origin and cause determinations (added in 2014). ```

Answer 27

Evidence collection, preservation and documentation

Question 28

``` An understanding of the role that electricity and electrical equipment play in fire causation (i.e., victim versus cause) (added in 2014). ```

Answer 28

Electricity and electrical systems

Question 29

“This document is designed to produce a systematic, working framework or outline by which effective fire and explosion investigations and origin-and-cause analysis can be accomplished. ... Deviations from these procedures, however, are not necessarily wrong or inferior, but need to be justified.”

Answer 29

NFPA 921

Question 30

``` ______________________defines a guide as a document that is advisory or informative in nature and that contains only nonmandatory provisions. Not suitable for adoption into law. ```

Answer 30

NFPA 921, Chapter 3, Section 3.2.3

Question 31

WHO USES NATIONAL FIRE | PROTECTION ASSOCIATION 921?

Answer 31

``` • Fire investigators to support their conclusions. • Attorneys to support or contest opinions. • Judges to qualify witnesses. • Agencies as the basis for training and education programs. ```

Question 32

``` a level of conduct, exercised by a reasonably prudent professional. Courts have held NFPA 921 and 1033 as the “standards of care” for fire investigation. ```

Answer 32

Standard of Care

Question 33

An extensive resume-style document listing of | your experience, training and education.

Answer 33

CURRICULUM VITAE

Question 34

Challenges in the courtroom include?

Answer 34

``` • Investigator qualifications. • Methodology used. • Knowledge of fire science. • Quality of documentation. •Opinion reached and how. ```

Question 35

``` The systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and definition of a problem ; the collection of data through observation and experimentation; analysis of the data ; the formulation, evaluation and testing of a hypothesis ; and, when possible, the selection of a final hypothesis. ```

Answer 35

Scientific Method

Question 36

What are the 7 steps in the scientific process?

Answer 36

``` Recognize the need Define the problem Collect data Analyze the data Form a hypothesis Test the hypothesis Select a final hypothesis ```

Question 37

The scientific method is applied to fire | investigation by using a

Answer 37

Systematic approach

Question 38

A rapid oxidation process, which is a chemical reaction resulting in the evolution of light and heat in varying intensities.

Answer 38

Fire

Question 39

What is the purpose of testing the hypothesis?

Answer 39

To disprove your hypothesis