Initial Action When Dealing With Fires Not Involving Explosives

Question 1

Procedure - steps 1, 2 & 3

Answer 1

1 - Submit articles for ESR analysis as early in the enquiry as possible.
2 - Offence report, detail stolen property.
3 - Obtain written reports, photos, plans from: SFI who can provide a CAD report (time sequenced record of call-time, resources that attended and radio comms) Fire Investigation report ( cause of fire and point of origin)

Question 2

Procedure - steps 4

Answer 2

4 - To stimulate the flow of information and ID of suspects, consider:
- making media releases
- sending bulletin board messages to local and neighboring police
- informing staff at line up
- using special notices if there is a pattern.

Question 3

Procedure - steps 5

Answer 3

Plan inquiries and ensure these people are interviwed:
- The owner & occupier of the premise.
- Person who last secured the building and hiw they left it.
- Person who found the fire and how they found it.
- Person who gave the alarm

Question 4

Procedure - steps 6

Answer 4

Consider an area canvass of the neighborhood. Interview witnesses and obtain statements about:
- The fire
- The conduct of people at the fire
- People loitering at the scene before the fire
- Vehicles in the vicinity before the fire.

Question 5

Procedure - steps 7

Answer 5

Think about:
- Possible motives such as profit, fraud, jealousy, crime concealment, excitement, vandalism and/or pyromania.
- The victims reputation and financial position.

Question 6

Procedure - steps 8

Answer 6

Contact insurance company promptly and obtain:
- The services of an assessor, to value the building and the damage.
- Particulars of the insurance on the premise and their contents
- Copies of insurance policies
- Information on prior claims
- Details of any recent increase in cover or over-insurance.

Question 7

Procedure - steps 9

Answer 7

If previous or similar fores in the locality suggest the work of a pyromaniac, obtain directions from your supervisor about:
- Special patrols
- Immediate Police attendance at fires to observe the conduct and demenour of the people present
- Saturation patrols in the vicinity of fires in an effort to apprehend the suspect
- Prevention activities

Question 8

Procedure - steps 10, 11 & 12

Answer 8

10 - Inform your local Intel section and FILO about the fire and find out about:
- Suspects
-Similar previous fires
- Other fires involving the informant, owner or occupier
11 - Enquire at the Meteorological Service to officially establish the weather conditions at the time of the fire.
12 - Maintain contact with the owner of the property, and the victim if different.