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Fire Science
Fire investigation, sometimes referred to as origin and cause investigation, is the analysis of fire-related incidents. After firefighters extinguish a fire, an investigation is launched to determine the origin and cause of the fire or explosion. Investigations of such incidents require a systematic approach and knowledge of basic fire science. Investigating fires The difficulty of determining whether arson has occurred arises because fire often destroys the key evidence of its origin. Many fires are caused by defective equipment, such as shorting of faulty electrical circuits. Car fires can be caused by faulty fuel lines, and spontaneous combustion is possible where organic wastes are stored. A fire investigator looks at the fire remains, and obtains information to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the fire. One of the challenging aspects of fire investigation is the multi-disciplinary basis of the investigator's job. As fires can be caused by or involve many i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fire Investigation Unit
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are produced. The ''flame'' is the visible portion of the fire. Flames consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and nitrogen. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma. Depending on the substances alight, and any impurities outside, the color of the flame and the fire's intensity will be different. Fire in its most common form can result in conflagration, which has the potential to cause physical damage through burning. Fire is an important process that affects ecological systems around the globe. The positive effects of fire include stimulating growth and maintaining various ecological systems. Its negative effects include hazard to life and property, atmospheric pollution, and water contamination. If fire r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Icove
David J. Icove (born May 14, 1949) is a former Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Profiler and FBI Academy Instructor in the elite Behavioral Analysis Unit. He was one of the FBI's first criminal profilers to specialize in the apprehension of serial arsonists and bombers. He is Fellow in the National Academy of Forensic Engineers and co-author along with Gerald A. Haynes of Kirk's Fire Investigation, the leading textbook in the field of fire investigation. Early life and education David Icove was born May 14, 1949 in Akron, Ohio and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. He graduated in 1967 from Shaker Heights High School and went to college at the University of Tennessee and the University of Maryland. Career A leading authority in forensic engineering examinations of fires and explosions, he is co-author of ''Kirk's Fire Investigation'', ''Combating Arson-for-Profit'', and ''Forensic Fire Scene Reconstruction'', three of the leading expert treatises in the field. Paul Lela ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fire Protection Engineer
Fire protection engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to protect people, property, and their environments from the harmful and destructive effects of fire and smoke. It encompasses engineering which focuses on fire detection, suppression and mitigation and fire safety engineering which focuses on human behavior and maintaining a tenable environment for evacuation from a fire. In the United States 'fire protection engineering' is often used to include 'fire safety engineering'. The discipline of fire engineering includes, but is not exclusive to: * Fire detection - fire alarm systems and brigade call systems * Active fire protection - fire suppression systems * Passive fire protection - fire and smoke barriers, space separation * Smoke control and management * Escape facilities - emergency exits, fire lifts, etc. * Building design, layout, and space planning * Fire prevention programs * Fire dynamics and fire modeling * Human behavior during fire ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fire Marshal
A fire marshal, in the United States and Canada, is often a member of a state, provincial or territorial government, but may be part of a building department or a separate department altogether. Fire marshals' duties vary but usually include fire code enforcement or investigating fires for origin and cause. Fire marshals may be sworn law-enforcement officers and are often experienced firefighters. In larger cities with substantially developed fire departments the local fire departments are sometimes delegated some of the duties of the fire marshal. A fire marshal's duties vary by location. Fire marshals may carry a weapon, wear a badge, wear a uniform or plain clothes, can drive marked or unmarked cars, and make arrests pertaining to arson and related offenses, or, in other localities, may have duties entirely separate from law enforcement, including building- and fire-code-related inspections. In many areas, the fire marshal is responsible for enforcing laws concerni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ATF Fire Research Laboratory
The Fire Research Laboratory (FRL) is part of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), an investigative agency within the United States Department of Justice.{{Cite web, url=https://www.atf.gov/arson/atf-fire-research-laboratory, title=ATF Fire Research Laboratory {{! Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, website=www.atf.gov, language=en, access-date=2018-04-18 Located in Beltsville, Maryland, the FRL is a partnership among law enforcement, fire services, public safety agencies, academia and the private sector that uses the most advanced scientific, technical, educational, and training methods in fire investigation science to serve and protect the public. Functionality The Fire Research Laboratory does the following: * Conducts scientific research that validates fire scene indicators and improves fire scene reconstruction and fire evidence analysis; * Supports fire and arson investigations and the resolution of fire related crimes; * Develo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arson
Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercraft, or forests. The crime is typically classified as a felony, with instances involving a greater degree of risk to human life or property carrying a stricter penalty. Arson which results in death can be further prosecuted as manslaughter or murder. A common motive for arson is to commit insurance fraud. In such cases, a person destroys their own property by burning it and then lies about the cause in order to collect against their insurance policy. A person who commits arson is referred to as an arsonist, or a serial arsonist if arson has been committed several times. Arsonists normally use an accelerant (such as gasoline or kerosene) to ignite, propel and directionalize fires, and the detection and identification of ignitable liqui ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NFPA 921
NFPA 921, "Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations", is a peer reviewed document that is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Its purpose is "to establish guidelines and recommendations for the safe and systematic investigation or analysis of fire and explosion incidents" (section 1.2.1). Familiarity with NFPA 921 is strongly recommended by National Association of Fire Investigators and the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI). NFPA 921 forms a large basis of the information which a professional fire investigator must know to pass the various Fire Investigator Certification (NAFI and IAAI) examinations. While not every recommendation in NFPA 921 will apply to any particular fire or explosion investigation, the document itself recommends that if a particular fire investigator does not apply certain sections to an investigation where they are called-for, the investigator must be prepared to justify the exclusion. This standard was lon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
International Association Of Arson Investigators
The International Association of Arson Investigators (abbreviated IAAI) is a professional association of individuals who conduct fire investigations. The IAAI provides resources for training, research, and technology for fire investigators around the world. It is based in Crofton, Maryland, United States. This organization was formed and chartered as a nonprofit organization in Louisville Kentucky. President George Parker based on the wishes of the membership; filed the request for incorporation in the latter part of 1949 The IAAI received its charter December 4, 1951. The State of Kentucky required an “Annual verification of IAAI Incorporation” filed with the Secretary of State. This was to include the name of an individual within the State of Kentucky who would be responsible for any actions of the IAAI. George Parker (President 1949-50) was the first to fill this position followed by John T. Underwood (State Fire Marshal, Frankfort Kentucky). The official title within the Stat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Association Of Fire Investigators
The National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) is a professional association of people who investigate cases of fire and arson. It was created in 1961 and is located in Bradenton, Florida. The purpose of the group is to increase knowledge and improve skills of fire investigators in the field and in relation to the litigation involved in determining the origin and cause of fires. NAFI offers three certifications for its members through its own National Certification Board. The National Fire Protection Association's guide to fire investigation, known as NFPA 921 NFPA 921, "Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations", is a peer reviewed document that is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Its purpose is "to establish guidelines and recommendations for the safe and systematic inv ... recognizes the certifications awarded by NAFI. Through NAFI, members can become a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI), a Certified Fire Investigation In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Automatic Fire Suppression
Automatic fire suppression systems control and extinguish fires without human intervention. Examples of automatic systems include fire sprinkler system, gaseous fire suppression, and condensed aerosol fire suppression. When fires are extinguished in the early stages loss of life is minimal since 93% of all fire-related deaths occur once the fire has progressed beyond the early stages. Types of automatic systems Today there are numerous types of automatic fire suppression systems and standards for each one. Systems are as diverse as the many applications. In general, however, automatic fire suppression systems fall into two categories: ''engineered'' and ''pre-engineered'' systems. * Engineered fire suppression systems are design specific and most commonly used for larger installations where the system is designed for a particular application. Examples include large marine and land vehicle applications, server rooms, public and private buildings, industrial paint lines, dip tank ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pike Pole
A pike pole is a long metal-topped wooden, aluminium or fiberglass pole used for reaching, hooking and/or pulling on another object. They are variously used in boating, construction, logging, rescue and recovery, power line maintenance, and firefighting."Tools of the Trade: Firefighting Hand Tools and Their Use", PennWell Books, 1997, Chapter 5, "Poles"/ref> Uses The pole's original use in the fire service was to pull down walls and neighboring buildings to stop a fire's spread. Modern firefighting pike poles are usually of fiberglass, between 4 feet to 12 feet long, and used to search for fires hidden behind walls and ceilings, to pull items from intense heat and flames, and to ventilate structures by breaking windows. Pike poles are routinely used by firefighters as part of fire operations known as "overhaul". The design of a Pike Pole allows for the pole to be inserted with force into a wall or ceiling and the pole rotated, allowing the hook to grab and pull down large ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spoliation Of Evidence
Tampering with evidence, or evidence tampering, is an act in which a person alters, conceals, falsifies, or destroys evidence with the intent to interfere with an investigation (usually) by a law-enforcement, governmental, or regulatory authority. It is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions. Tampering with evidence is closely related to the legal issue of spoliation of evidence, which is usually the civil law or due process version of the same concept (but may itself be a crime). Tampering with evidence is also closely related to obstruction of justice and perverting the course of justice, and these two kinds of crimes are often charged together. The goal of tampering with evidence is usually to cover up a crime or with intent to injure the accused person. Spoliation Spoliation of evidence is the intentional, reckless, or negligent withholding, hiding, altering, fabricating, or destroying of evidence relevant to a legal proceeding. The spoliation inference is a negative evi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
