Arson Detection for the First Responder ADFR-Student Manual 1st Edition, 2nd Printing-August 2002 FEMA/USFA/NFA ADFR-IG Arson Detection for the First Responder August 2002 1st Edition, 2nd Printing Arson Detection for the First Responder ADFR-Student Manual 1st Edition, 2nd Printing-August 2002 ARSON DETECTION FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTORATE UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY FOREWORD The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an important component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Preparedness Directorate, serves the leadership of this Nation as the DHS's fire protection and emergency response expert. The USFA is located at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and includes the National Fire Academy (NFA), National Fire Data Center (NFDC), National Fire Programs (NFP), and the National Preparedness Network (PREPnet). The USFA also provides oversight and management of the Noble Training Center in Anniston, Alabama. The mission of the USFA is to save lives and reduce economic losses due to fire and related emergencies through training, research, data collection and analysis, public education, and coordination with other Federal agencies and fire protection and emergency service personnel. The USFA's National Fire Academy offers a diverse course delivery system, combining resident courses, off-campus deliveries in cooperation with State training organizations, weekend instruction, and online courses. The USFA maintains a blended learning approach to its course selections and course development. Resident courses are delivered at both the Emmitsburg campus and its Noble facility. Off- campus courses are delivered in cooperation with State and local fire training organizations to ensure this Nation's firefighters are prepared for the hazards they face. The Arson Detection for the First Responder two-day training course is designed specifically to provide a clear definition of the role of initial responder organizations and to provide essential knowledge to enable them to recognize the potential of an intentionally set fire, preserve evidence, and properly report the information to appropriate officials. The training course includes the following basic topics: fire behavior, critical observations of the first responder, fire causes, scene security and evidence preservation, legal considerations, and reporting of findings. The Arson Detection for the First Responder training course is specifically designed for the firefighter who is inexperienced in arson detection and the preservation of evidence at the fire scene. It is not designed for the arson-experienced firefighter or inspector. iii ARSON DETECTION FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER iv ARSON DETECTION FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Foreword ............................................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................... v Schedule ............................................................................................................................................. vii UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... SM 1-1 UNIT 2: FIRE BEHAVIOR .................................................................................... SM 2-1 UNIT 3: FIRST RESPONDER OBSERVATIONS............................................... SM 3-1 UNIT 4: FIRE CAUSES .......................................................................................... SM 4-1 UNIT 5: SCENE SECURITY AND PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE ........... SM 5-1 UNIT 6: LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................. SM 6-1 UNIT 7: REPORTING OF FINDINGS.................................................................. SM 7-1 v ARSON DETECTION FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER vi ARSON DETECTION FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER SCHEDULE UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION UNIT 2: FIRE BEHAVIOR UNIT 3: FIRST RESPONDER OBSERVATIONS UNIT 4: FIRE CAUSES UNIT 5: SCENE SECURITY AND PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE UNIT 6: LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS UNIT 7: REPORTING OF FINDINGS vii ARSON DETECTION FOR THE FIRST RESPONDER UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION COURSE OBJECTIVES The students will be able to: 1. Recognize as first responders the indicators of an intentionally set fire, preserve evidence, and report the information to the appropriate official. 2. Define clearly the role of the first responder, and understand that the first responder's role is not to determine the origin or cause of the fire, and that he/she is not responsible as an investigator. UNIT OBJECTIVE Students will understand the direct and indirect impact of the crime of arson. INTRODUCTION SM 1-2 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION The first responder is often in the best position to make critical observations regarding a fire. The first responder can compare this fire to a similar fire and draw parallels between them for similar fire-behavior patterns. The observations of the first responder during the various stages of an incident are extremely critical. From the moment of dispatch through the overhaul phase, the first responder's senses are exposed to countless stimuli, many of which can help make a determination of fire origin and cause. Without the first responder's full attention, priceless information could be destroyed. OVERVIEW OF COURSE • Fire Behavior. • First Responder Observations. • Fire Causes. • Scene Security and Preservation of Evidence. • Legal Considerations. • Reporting of Findings. SOCIAL COST OF FIRE When fire occurs, the social and economic costs to the community can be devastating: the loss of the tax base, jobs, and injury and deaths both to civilians and firefighters. The impact on public resources can put a burden on the community's tax base, and the loss of the employment base. The NFPA Journal of September/October 1994 reports the number of fires, deaths, and injuries both to firefighters and to civilians for the year 1993. The information in this article will be discussed in this unit. These figures give the overall picture of fire in the United States. Fires Public fire departments responded to 1,952,500 fires in 1993, of which 621,500 were structural fires. Seventy-six percent of all structural fires, or 470,000 fires, occurred in residential properties. Vehicle fires increased by 3.8 percent to 420,500. The remaining number of fires were outside and decreased by 1.2 percent to 910,500. The south and northeast had the highest fire incident rates in the country. SM 1-3 INTRODUCTION Civilian Deaths In 1993, there was a decrease in civilian fire deaths of 2 percent from 1992. However, in 1993, there were 4,635 civilian fire deaths, with about 80 percent of all fire deaths occurring in the home. Of this, 560 civilians lost their lives in incendiary or suspicious fires. Civilian Injuries Injuries to civilians from fire increased to 30,475, a 6.2 percent increase from the previous year. This estimate is low because of the under reporting of injuries to civilians at fires. Of these injuries, 74.1 percent occurred in residential fires, while only 13 percent occurred in nonresidential structures. Property Damage Property damage loss was $8.546 billion; with structure fires resulting in 87 percent of all property damage, or $7.406 billion. This figure does not account for the loss of the tax base to the community, or the loss of jobs that cause an additional overall impact on the local community. Incendiary and Suspicious Fires It is estimated that 84,500 fires were deliberately set or of suspicious nature. These fires caused $2.351 billion in property damage alone. These fires also resulted in the deaths of civilians. In the structures mentioned above, 560 civilians lost their lives, with property damages reaching $2.351 billion. Fires of incendiary and suspicious origin in vehicles caused $137 million in property damage (41,500 fires). Firefighter Injuries and Deaths Each year, there are deaths and injuries to firefighters performing their duties. In 1993, there were 77 deaths and 101,500 injuries. These figures emphasize the importance of the firefighter, when responding and on the scene during operations, always to be mindful of the ever-present danger to both firefighters and civilians. SM 1-4 INTRODUCTION FIREFIGHTER SAFETY Scene Safety Scene safety is another major consideration for the first responder. From the receipt of the alarm, the first responder should evaluate response activities from the standpoint of safety. In this light, the first responder should be making decisions about the risks that need to be taken versus the benefits that can be gained. These same considerations apply to the fire origin and cause determination phase of the incident. The first responder needs to evaluate the status of the structure to determine any unsafe areas. Some of these areas may need attention before anyone can enter them safely. Safety Considerations Parts of the structure need careful scrutiny. Floors must be evaluated for their stability, their load-bearing capacity, and the potential effect if something falls on them. The walls and ceilings also must be evaluated to determine if they are structurally sound. Of particular concern are the bearing walls that are carrying the weight of the floors above. Should the bearing walls weaken, the interior or nonbearing walls often become unduly