Process and Procedure

Question 1

Powers and duties

Answer 1

Police must cooperate with the person in charge of the fire service and may only exercise powers if called upon.
- enter private property when it’s on fire or when essential to perform duty
- close roads
- remove impeding vehicles by any means
- Use reasonable for to remove person in danger or interfering
- Do anything to protect life and property

Question 2

Memorandum of understanding

Answer 2

Agreement between splice and fire to share information. Both agencies want to ensure that:
- investigations of fire scenes are efficiently coordinated and expertly and independently conducted
- any relevant evidence is protected and collected
- fire will notify police if a fire is suspicious or results in injury or death

Question 3

FILO responsibilities

Answer 3

• Attend any fire that results in serious injury or death
• co-ordinate fire investigations
• arrange Police attendance when required
  -Maintain effective working relationships FSILI and specialist fire investigator
• Update district intelligence manager and criminal investigations manager

Question 4

Specialist fire investigators

Answer 4

Attend and investigate:
- fatal or serious injury fires
- suspicious fires
- significant fires spread across a property boundary
- Fires where built in safety features have failed
- Any fire upon request from police or other agency

Question 5

FSILO

Answer 5

Responsible for:
- Arranging specialist fire investigator attendance where requested by Police
- Maintain relationship with relevant Police FILO

Question 6

Scene control, notification and handover

Answer 6

• Fire in charge while fire is in progress or danger to life still present, then handed over to Police
• Fire to notify a Police if the fire is suspicious or deliberately lit
• Police to confer with fire incident controller to confirm handover.
• Handover will not be completed until all identified hazard have been isolated, eliminated or minimized.
• Consultation prior to scene exam.
• Form investigation plan with roles identified.

Question 7

Police responsibility

Answer 7

• Conduct criminal investigation or coronial enquiry
• Undertake responsibility for the protection, collection and recording of forensic evidence