Fire investigation is a field of forensic science that aims to determine the cause and the origin of the fire. The investigators aim to answer the question "where did the fire start?" to determine the origin and "why did the fire start?" to determine the cause of the fire. There are three conditions necessary for the fire to occur and it includes combustible (fuel), an oxidizer (oxygen), and source of heat energy (ignition) (Mueller, Skowronski, & Clark, 2017). Fire investigators help identify the event that brings together combustible, oxidizer, and ignition that starts the fire. When delivering their roles and responsibilities, fire investigators help arrive at the fire's exact origin and cause. The results can also help manage fire breakouts in the future.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Fire Investigator
Fire investigators have numerous roles and responsibilities, and they not only investigate the cause of the fires and help prevent the fires from starting. By inspecting the facilities, fire investigators play a critical role in preventing fire outbreaks by ensuring that they are free from fire hazards. The fire investigators also test fire alarms and sprinklers to ensure that they are in good working condition (Chu & Law, 2019). Educating fire brigades and citizens concerning fire outbreaks, causes, and fire hazards is another responsibility of the fire investigators. Investigating fire breakouts is the primary responsibility of the fire investigators, and they help in the analysis of the scene to determine the cause of the fire. Fire investigators are also responsible for reviewing new proposals and plans in residential and commercial properties to ensure that the design has adequate fire safety.
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When the public employs a fire investigator to investigate the cause and origin of the fire, external influence in the investigation process is minimal, enabling them to arrive at accurate results. The main objective of the investigators when working in the public sector is to ensure that they conduct a thorough search and study at every level of the investigation process to ensure that they deliver accurate results. The fire investigators have sufficient time and ability to investigate a step-by-step approach when working in the public sector. In this case, their main objective is to ensure that they deliver their responsibility to the set standards.
When providing fire investigation services to a private insurance company, priorities are likely to change in favour of the company. The private insurance company can interfere with the investigation process, for instance, forcing the investigator to complete the investigation in the shortest time possible compromising the accuracy and quality of the results. The private sector has the likelihood of influencing the investigation process to ensure that the findings favour them, especially when it comes to insurance businesses where the investigation results are vital in making final decisions. Fire investigator priorities are different when working for a private insurance company, for instance, conducting the activity in the shortest time possible, and trying to satisfy the employer's expectations.
When conducting private investigations, fire investigators experience numerous ethical issues and conflicts of interest because the private sector clients tend to influence investigation for their benefit. In most cases, the private clients want the investigation results in the shortest time possible, but to the investigators, the process requires a significant amount of time to piece all the evidence to determine the cause and origin of the fire. The investigation results are another point of concern when investigating a private firm because the employer has a particular expectation that the investigators need to fulfil and might compromise the accuracy and reliability of the investigation findings.
Georgia Fire Outbreak
On 23 December 2020, around 3:30 AM, 17 families living in Whisperwood Apartments in East Columbus experienced a massive fire that consumed their belongings, including their pets. The alarm in the apartment played a significant role in saving the lives of the residents (Serbin, 2020). Even though the inferno was massive no one died in the event except four firefighters who sustained minor injuries while trying to contain the fire. The electric problem that is yet to be determined is suspected as the leading cause of the fire in the apartment before spreading across the entire building.
The article about the fire breakout in Whisperwood Apartments in East Columbus does not clearly guide the investigation process. However, scientific methods such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 921 are in place to help fire investigators accomplish their investigation duties to the standards. NFPA 921 is a scientific method useful in guiding investigations and analysis of fire outbreak and explosion incidences. The fire investigation methodology involves defining the problem, collecting all the necessary information, analyzing the data, developing and testing the hypothesis. The NFPA 921 methodology also guides the investigators to utilize information from the witness, fire patterns, arc mapping, and fire dynamics to arrive at accurate results.
Conclusion
Fire investigators have significant responsibility for determining the cause, and the origin of the fire and the findings help address a similar problem in the future. The investigators should aim to prevent fire outbreaks in the first place by ensuring that structures are free from fire hazards and conducting regular inspection of fire alarms and training the public on how to respond during fire breakouts. Private clients such as insurance companies are likely to influence the investigation process, in the end, compromising the quality and accuracy of the investigation results. Scientific investigation methodologies such as NFPA 921 are crucial during the activity because it provides a guideline that ensures achievement of accurate results.
References
Chu, M. L., & Law, K. H. (2019). Incorporating individual behavior, knowledge, and roles in simulating evacuation. Fire technology, 55(2) , 437-464.
Mueller, E. V., Skowronski, N., & Clark, K. (2017). Utilization of remote sensing techniques for the quantification of fire behavior in two pine stands. Fire Safety Journal, 91 , 845-854.
Serbin, S. (2020, December 23). WTVM . Retrieved from Families lose everything in apartment fire two days before Christmas: https://www.wtvm.com/2020/12/23/families-lose-everything-apartment-fire-two-days-before-christmas/
