First respondents play a major role in the identification of cause of fires since they are the first to arrive at incident scenes. this slides examines their role in terms of initial scene assessment, evidence identification, evidence preservation, witness handling and overhauling

1. ADO II KPAJAL DANIEL
@
A ONE DAY WORKSHOP FOR OPERATION AND
DUTY OFFICERS

2. Introduction
objectives
Pre-fire fighting assessment
Evidence identification
Preservation of evidence
Witnesses
Summary

3. The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is the sole
agency mandated by law to prevent, combat and
establish the cause of fires in the country.
Unfortunately, very little training and logistics are
assigned for fire investigation purposes.
Consequently, the Service has come under
incessant criticism for its failure to effectively
investigate and establish the cause of major fires in
the country.
The problem in the Brong Ahafo Region is not any
different

4. At the end of this presentation, course
participants will be able to:
Appreciate their role in the fire
investigation process
Effectively conduct a pre-fire fighting
incident assessment
Identify evidence and learn ways of
protecting them
Improve upon their witness handling skills

7. On arrival at an incident scene, the Incident
Commander (Duty Officer) must quickly conduct an
assessment of the incident by doing the following:
Find out if there are trap victims
Size-up the incident
Observe the wind direction
Identify hazards
Read fire behavior indicators

8. Assess forcible entry requirements
Examine the roofing type
Understand crew’s tactical assignment
Identify potential emergency escape routes
Maintain high level of situation awareness
Verify that communication gadgets are
working

9. If door to fire area must be opened, all
members should stay low and to one side of
doorway
Check door for heat before opening
Start fire fighting from unaffected areas to
prevent the fire from spreading to such areas.
Avoid multiple commands and instructions

10. Evidence at a fire scene relates to both material and
non material elements that aids in the fire
investigation process or the establishment of cause
and motive of a fire. It may include such things as
petrol cans, matches box, streamers, movements of
people, etc
Fire respondents play a very significant role in
evidence identification and destruction
To aid the investigation process, first respondents
must

11. First respondents must
note the
Time of day
Weather and natural
hazards
Barriers
People leaving the scene

12. First-Arriving Firefighters should note
the
Time of arrival and extent of fire
Wind direction and velocity
Doors or windows locked or unlocked
Location of the fire
Vehicles and people present in the area
Status of doors and windows
Smoke color

13. Evidence of forced entry by
anyone other than firefighters
Contents of the rooms
Indications of unusual fire
behavior or more than one point
of origin
 Containers or cans
 Burglary tools
 Familiar faces

14. Unusual odors
Abnormal behavior of fire
when water is applied
Obstacles hindering fire
fighting
Incendiary devices
Trailers
Structural alterations
Fire patterns

15. Heat intensity
Availability of
documents
Fire detection and
protection systems
Intrusion alarms
Location of fire

16. Fire suppression activities, such as a straight
stream applied at the point of origin or deluge
applications that may wash away or dilute
potential evidence.
Overhaul activities that destroy fire patterns.
Salvage activities that involve moving or
removing potential physical evidence.
Use of a tool in any manner that causes
destruction of evidence.
 Movement of knobs, switches, and controls
on appliances and utilities.
Weather conditions that affect transient
evidence (i.e., wind, precipitation, or
temperature changes).

17. Personnel walking through the scene.
Witnesses and victims leaving the scene.
Medical intervention and treatment of victims (e.g.,
by damaging evidence at the scene or destroying
victims’ clothing).
Premature removal or movement of bodies.
Vehicles at the scene (e.g., that introduce fluid to the
scene through vehicle leaks or destroy other evidence,
including shoe prints and tire impressions).
Contamination from external sources, such as fuelpowered tools or equipment.

18. Evidence must remain undisturbed except
when absolutely necessary for the
extinguishment of the fire
Remove evidence at risk of imminent
destruction by the fire or the structural
collapse of the damaged building.
Limit excessive fire suppression, overhaul,
and salvage.
Avoid needless destruction of property.

19. Firefighters must avoid trampling over
possible evidence and obliterating it
Preserving transient evidence (e.g., trace
evidence, shoe prints, tire impressions).
Leave charred documents found in
containers
Leaving bodies undisturbed.
Flag items of evidence with cones or
markers.
Record observations through written
notes or voice recordings.

20. Retain and secure clothing items
removed from victims and suspects.
Obtain information about victims and
witnesses (i.e., their names, addresses,
and telephone numbers).
Ensure that later arriving investigators
are fully apprised of the evidence
discovered.
Cover items or areas containing
evidence with objects that will not
contaminate the evidence (e.g., clean
boxes or tarpaulins).
Isolate items or areas containing
evidence with rope, barrier tape,
barricades, or sentries.

21. Witnesses are primary source of
information and their accounts are key to
the investigation process
Firefighters should obtain as much
information as possible from them
Owners or occupants of the property
should be allowed to talk freely
However, Firefighters should not
attempt to interrogate a potential arson
suspect unless trained and authorized
Firefighters should refrain from
expressing personal opinions

22. Overhauling consists of operations involved in
searching for and extinguishing hidden or
remaining fires at an incident.
If possible, do not start overhaul operations
until
Fire is under control
Fire cause has been determined
Evidence has been identified and
protected

23. Before overhauling, the following steps must
be followed
Inspect the premises
Identify hazards
Developing operational plan
Eliminating or mitigating hazards
 Providing tools and equipment

24. Indicators of Loss of Structural Integrity during
overhauling include:
Weakened floors
Concrete that has spalled
Weakened steel roof members
Walls offset
Weakened roof trusses
Mortar in wall joints opened
Water pooled on upper floors

25. Before an investigation into the origin and cause of a
fire can be conducted, there must be evidence to
evaluate and first respondents play a critical role in its
collection.
As a firefighter, one of the most important
responsibilities is to avoid disturbing or destroying
evidence while fighting the fire. In the area of origin
appropriate caution must be used when spraying
water, moving debris, and even walking around.
Once the area of origin is known, a more thorough
investigation can be conducted to determine the exact
cause of the fire.

26. As a firefighter, it may be necessary to determine
the cause of the fire; more likely, firefighters may
be assigned to assist their supervisor or a fire
investigator in making that determination.
If the fire origin and cause investigation reveals
evidence of arson, the property becomes a crime
scene and must be treated as one. Firefighters
must cooperate fully with whoever is assigned to
investigate the crime.