Fire Fighting Tactics and Evidence Preservation - Essay Example

TOPIC: FIRE FIGHTING TACTICS AND EVIDENCE PRESERVATION [Author’s Name] [University’s Name] Introduction Fire catastrophe is very common in the world (Haan, 2013.).There are various causes of fire in the world, for example, faulty electricity, poor wiring, poor storage of combustible materials, keeping chemically reactive together just to mention a few. Conversely, causes of fire vary from setting that is causes of fire in a house kitchen are diverse from the causes of fire in another setting like a courtroom. Consequently, this variation of the causes results to strategies and tactics of firefighting being employed to be diverse too. Fire accident can be controlled; this is possible by identification of the cause. For example, fire caused by faulty electricity cannot be extinguished using water apparatus such as fire extinguishers are used. Again, fire control strategies need professionalism under the control of the occurred accident. This is because the more professional the fire is controlled, the easier to control the spread. At the same time, it is easier to collect evidence of the alleged cause. Yet again, it is also vital as it aid get the cause of the accident. (Haan, 2013.). Firefighting tactics need to be up to date. This is very critical in evidence collection and also for the purposes of evidence preservation (Lentini, 2012 ). Again, forensic awareness is critical as it aids in the preservation of evidence. Fires go to extents of becoming court cases; consequently, evidence collection needs to be paramount. Additionally, the condition of physical evidence is the most critical to the outcome of any criminal or civil cases. Recently the government, courts, attorneys are profound on public safety. Also, the fire department has had deep scrutiny and the efforts they make to protect evidence. Not until fire scenes have been left to the fire investigators, firefighters have the obligations to take steps to secure the scene and any evidence found in the scene (Lentini, 2012). Such steps will assist in the investigations as well making the department not culpable or compromising valuable court evidence. It is very critical to preserve evidence as this will aid in arson arrest and also in the prosecution. At the same time collection of evidence will always be vital as it is used to determine the truth in civil litigation that is if the fire victim is entitled to insurance payment. As a strategy of evidence collection and preservation, scenes should always be unnecessarily disturbed. Therefore overhaul should be last resort so as to circumvent unnecessarily destruction (Lentini, 2012 ). Managing fire scene Again the there are some precautions that should be taken. First avoid excessive use of water, exclusively at the suspected seat of the fire, as this may be the area on which fire started (U. S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Fire Administration, 2013). This will destroy evidence at the scene. At the same time when using hose pipes to sprinkle water to a building the firefighters should always avoid dragging hoses back and forth through the suspected origin of the fire, as they can move, damage, or destroy evidence. For the firefighters, it is advisable to leave hoses in place until a qualified fire investigator examines the area. Hoses may have evidence stuck on them. Moreover, fire evidence is scandalously insubstantial and easy to move around or even destroy. Thereby, lots of care needed. Extinguish everything in its place; circumvent moving furniture, machines unless leaving them in place which will cause further damage. Fire scenes should be treated as scenes of crime even if fire appears accidental. No unauthorized persons should be allowed without the investigators permission. Restrictions on people entering the scene are significant as evidence is free from contamination. Again, malicious people who would wish to tamper with evidence are eliminated. Moreover, when there are specific operations to be performed only the permitted firefighters and officers should be allowed. Every scene should have an incident commander; the IC should give guidelines to the firefighters. Consequently, acting on scene commander directives they should mark the scene and declare it a fire scene. This should be followed by placing a barrier tape that should be visible. The tape should always cover an enough area on which potential evidence may be found. Included areas should be burned areas, entrances and exits areas where evidence is visible and where evidence maybe concealed. When an alarm comes in, firefighter’s brains start to process an endless stream of ideas and data. However this firefighters are not aware how important they are to investigators. This is because investigators have to ask the fighters who arrived first some questions. Where they observed fire first, did they had to force way into the structure? How many area of origin did they notice? .The most important thing firefighters can do in the scene is to delay the overhaul until the fire investigator comes. This is because the investigator will find it simple to examine and document the fire scene. Everything in a fire scene is considered potential evidence (Haan, 2013.). Fire scenes always attract curious members of the public. Therefore, the incident commanders should assign one firefighter to keep away the curious members of the public who arguably tamper with the evidence. Police should be assist if available. The same person assigned that duty to be at the entrance recording the names of persons who entered the scene. At the same time, members operating within the scene should be willing to tell the investigator that side of the scene they were and what contents they disturbed during the operation. Also person at the gate should record everybody time of entry and time of exit. This will help to ease any controversy that may come up during collection of evidence. Like scene itself, fire evidence should always remain unobstructed as much as possible during extinguishment. Again any member of the team who notices potential evidence should inform the incident commander or the investigator. For investigators, they should follow the procedures for evidence collection, along with marking evidence with flag or markers. Needless to say, fire evidence include incendiary devices, burglary tools, weapons, tire impressions, tool marks, fire starting materials like lighters, ignitable fluids, footprints, pills or drugs just to mention a few. When managing a fire scene. Professionalism should be observed this is to make sure that not even a single stone that will remain untouched (U. S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Fire Administration, 2013). When managing fire scene, investigators should always take photographs of the scene besides the evidence collected. Again, the investigator should make sure he takes the pictures of the evidence before it is collected. Also, any person caught in the scene trying to tamper with the evidence or the scene should be reported to the police. This should become the prime suspect. Evidence collected should be placed according to standards and procedures of evidence preservation (Lentini, 2012 ). For example, ignitable fluids collected at the scene should always be stored in dark places. Again materials like match boxes should be put in a water free areas as well as substances such as drugs recovered in the scene should be stored in places that they are less likely to be tampered with. This will help the investigator and the prosecution to prove guilty of any perpetrator arrested. At the same time, Investigators entering the fire scene should always be dressed in robes that are not flammable. This is to safeguard the life of the investigator. Again, in the scene there should be the protocol of orders the incident commander should give commands to the firefighters while the senior investigator should give orders to other investigators. When gathering evidence, remains as the human remains found in the scene should be left undisturbed if determined the person cannot be revivified. Again, no firefighting operations should take place near a deceased body. However, all attempts to reduce further damages from water or fire should be practiced. This should be followed by covering the body and its surrounding with a cover cloth. Other items that are not necessarily evidence but critical in determining how the fire started should be collected too. Investigators should always be careful not to disturb appliances electrical equipment, liquids, windows or patterns on the walls in the scene (Lentini, 2012 ).Again, they should avoid pulling or knocking down wallboard or plaster unnecessarily. At the same time avoiding turning knobs or switches or even taking appliances apart. When safe to do so, electricity can be shut off by switching off electricity by the main switch. This will assist the investigator to examine individual circuit's breakers, and give tangible information about the start of the fire. Other precautions in the scene include not opening the doors and drawers or pick items unless essential. Again those in the scene fueling their portable appliances should fuel far away from the fire scene. This should also be followed by those fuelling their vehicles (Haan, 2013.). The fire department should always be present at the scene and allow investigations to go on. In other words, the department must remain after extinguishing fire and wait for investigators. If the investigators cannot work at night, then the fire brigade has to hold overnight. Again the incident commander should not release a fire scene without the approval of the investigators having jurisdictions (Lentini, 2012 ). When physical evidence is collected, the investigator must maintain the chain of custody (Haan, 2013). This is for purposes of proving that the evidence collected was not tampered with after it was discovered. In other words protecting it and documenting it where it is reserved and stored and who has its custody .At the same time, the investigator has an obligation of ensuring evidence is kept in a secure, safe place, who entered and left the custody as well as the person to whom it was given and ensure it was documented (Haan, 2013.). As mentioned earlier this is very critical in civil and criminal cases. In some circumstances person, entities arguably lose, destroy or even alter with evidence they have an obligation to protect. Finding of such can result in sanctions against a party in a court or extreme cases there can be a legal liability. For instance, an investigator may take an appliance apart without notifying the manufacturer; tampers with connections such as plugs and switches, which are likelihood source of the fire. Nevertheless, fire companies can help safeguard the department from such claims by taking by taking steps to preserve fire scenes and evidence. Also, they can consult with legal personnel on policies guiding the handling of evidence (Haan, 2013.). Subsequently evidence is collected preserved and stored; the investigator comes to the last bit of the scene that reports writing (U. S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Fire Administration, 2013). Report writing involves recording and documenting a report of all the chores undertaken at the fire scene. Reports should first be written in draft form. This draft captures everything including the least important things. When putting the chores in writing, it is advisable not to use short forms one may forget the real name. Nonetheless, if one is sure of the meaning, it can be written. When drafting the final copy of the report short forms, jargons, and spaces in the reports should not appear. Name and the sign of the person conducting the investigation should appear on the paper (U. S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Fire Administration, 2013). Conclusion Forensic awareness and good firefighting strategy are the keys to firefighting. At the same time, the investigator going to the scene must be qualified and competent. This is because collecting fire evidence needs expertise as opposed to the crime scene. The incident commander should also be competent so as to command the fire fighters well. Preservation of evidence should be paramount, and the chain of custody should be observed. References Haan, J. D. (2013.). Kirk's fire investigation [electronic resource]. Harlow: Pearson Education. Lentini, J. J. (2012). Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation, Second Edition. New York: Jones & Bartlett. U. S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Fire Administration. (2013). Basic Tools and Resources for Fire Investigators: a Handbook. New York. Read More