Fire Investigation 02
Fire Investigation 02 : Fire investigation, like crime scene investigation, can involve several disciplines. in a typical law enforcement investigation, there will be a fire scene investigator and a laboratory analyst performing chemical analysis of fire debris. In more complex cases, there will be issues other than whether the fire was intentionally set or not. Civil cases tend to address far more issues involving fire spread, the performance of fire protection systems, and issues involving liability for the fire. In investigations conducted by law enforcement, the major difference between fire investigation and the investigation of other crimes is that with the fire, it is first necessary to prove that any crime occurred. This is usually not the case with most criminal incidents. There are also major differences in the qualifications of personnel investigating fire on the scene, and those analyzing samples of fire debris, or examining potential ignition sources in the laboratory. The laboratory analyst will possess at least a bachelor's degree and a specialized understanding of the mechanics of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fire scene investigators, on the other hand, require an understanding of fire chemistry and fire dynamics, but unfortunately many field investigators do not possess such knowledge. In fact, many field investigators possess no formal education beyond high school. While there exist other forensic disciplines where technical skills learned through apprenticeship may provide adequate training (e. g. , fingerprints, firearms identification, and handwriting comparison), it is difficult to argue that individuals who have a limited understanding of the chemistry and physics of fire development can draw reasonable conclusions about fires. In recent years, increasing numbers of fire protection engineers, scientifically trained individuals with a better (but still imperfect) understanding of the behavior of fire, have demonstrated an interest in fire investigation, and the literature is beginning to reflect the influence of this group. Much of the work of fire protection engineers in this area, however, is still beyond the technical grasp of the average fire or arson investigator
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