Short Answers Flashcards
Use of fire service powers by police Section 28 Fire Service Act 1975 (PCAVE)
- Enter private property when it is on fire or endangered, or when entry is essential to performing a necessary duty
- Close roads
- remove Vehicles impeding the fire service. If necessary, they can break into the vehicles for that purpose.
- remove People who are in danger or interfering with operations, using reasonable force if necessary.
- do Anything else that is reasonably necessary for the protection of life and property.
Specialist Fire Investigators are used when?
- Fires where fatalities occur.
- Fires where serious (life threatening) fire related injury has occurred.
- Structure fires where the cause is suspicious or can not be determined.
- Significant fire spread across a property boundary.
- Fires in buildings where built in fire safety features have failed, or not performed to known or expected standards.
- Structure fires of 3rd alarm equivalent or greater, that may have a significant regional or national consequence.
Injuries through hazards
- Inhalation of toxic substances.
- Ingestion of particles etc.
- Injection from sharp objects.
- Airbourne dusts, particles.
- Tripping on fire debris.
- Falling down, over, onto or into any of the above.
- Items from above falling into you or hitting objects and causing a chain reaction.
Clothing protection
- A suitable helmet (that complies with the relevant safety standard).
- A pair of overalls
- Nose and mouth filter, a full face respirator or full BA.
- Gloves.
- Safety glasses.
- Shovels, rakes, sieves, pegs, twine.
- Heavy duty footwear with steel soles and toe caps.
Personnel (FSO + others)
- Fire investigations co-ordinator
- Rural fire investigator
- Photographer
- Fingerprint technician
- Explosives inspector
- Electrical Inspector
- Building inspector
- Insurance assessor
- Accountant
- Forensic mapper / original floor plans
- Pathologist
- Vehicle Inspector
- Civil aviation inspector
- Mines Inspector
- Forestry Expert
- Agricultural expert
- Marine surveyor
- Heating engineer
- Meteorologist
DETAILED INTERNAL EXAMINATION (SSSDDDFoSURE)
Completed by the Fire Safety Officer (with you accompanying them) – take note and observe: Smoke deposits and burn patterns Soot deposits on window glass and craze patterns Spalling (the cracking or chipping of concrete as a result of being heated and cooled) Damage to wall studs Damage to roofing timbers Damage to window sills and door edges Floor areas burned through Skirting board damage Under floor inspection Removal of fire debris Elimination of false low burns
PRELIMINARY INTERNAL EXAMINATION (FOOL SURF RUB)
During the preliminary examination take note of indicators such as: Forced entry into an empty till Open filing cabinets or missing files Owner/occupier attitude during walkthrough (if access is permitted) Low stock Signs of hardship Separate unrelated seats of fire Building areas in need of repair Missing family photos, furniture and personal items Rifled premises Unusual odours Burn patterns
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE EXAMINATION(APT)
At the conclusion of the examination the NZFS Fire Safety Officer or specialised fire investigator will be able to determine:
Area of origin
Point of origin
The seat of the fire
Interviewing witnesses at the scene
- the person(s) who found the fire, raised the alarm and informed police
- fire fighters
- occupants and their visitors
- employees, including cleaners and casual staff
- owners
- neighbours
- spectators
- passers by
- local police
- patrols
- other police and security staff
- vendors and delivery people
- reporters and photographers
Non-intentional causes of fire. Carelessness
- misusing electricity
- children playing with matches, lighters and so on
- burning off paint
- vagrants lighting fires
- welding and other industrial processes
- leaving clothes near heating
- wrapping up live ashes in paper
- ironing
- setting off fireworks
- using or storing flamable materials
- burning rubbish
- using domestic or camp fires
- leaving a stove or heater on
- leaving fat unattended while cooking
- smoking
CHARACTERISTIC DAMAGE CAUSED BY EXPLOSIVES
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Cratering Spread of debris Shredding of materials A smell peculiar to the exploded material i.e. smell of ‘almonds’ An overlay of dust Shrapnel marks
Initial Action Explosives
- could be a secondary device anywhere at the scene
- do not use cellphones, portable radios or the like
- Evacuate the scene to at least 100m, people bring personal possessions so less items to clear. consider explosives detector dog.
- If the IED is located, IED operator from D.O.L, if none armed services to send theirs (military ordnance)
- Inform the national bomb data centre at PNHQ using Bomb/Explosive/IED Report form.
- Give the National Bomb Data Centre regular sitreps
INITIAL ACTION WITH FIRES NOT INVOLVING EXPLOSIVES(IS FISH PC?)
REMEMBER: Your aim is to coordinate the investigation and investigators using the NZFS to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
STEP 1 – Briefly interview your informant
STEP 2 – Secure and control the scene
STEP 3 – Initial interview of the Fire Safety Officer/ O/C of the first fire appliance to attend the scene
STEP 4 – Interview the incident controller at the scene
STEP 5 – If fire is extinguished, ensure safety of the scene before an initial conference with Fire Service, Police and conduct an external examination and preliminary internal examination
STEP 6 – Regroup and hold a briefing conference if deemed suspicious
STEP 7 – Confer with other staff and determine a plan of action
STEP 8 – Contact the comms room and supply a SITREP. Ask for assistance if necessary, and the attendance of specialists i.e. photographer, fingerprint techinician
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GAS EXPLOSION AND A EXPLOSIVE THAT IS SET
Explosions caused by gas generally cover a wider area than those caused by explosives
Explosives cause cratering
Medical evidence – one or more of the suspects or victims may have inhaled gas prior to the explosion
Other telltale signs like the implosion of cabinets, which will be obvious to experts
EVIDENCE OF WILFUL CAUSES OF FIRE(MOVIE MASTER)
Multiple seats of fire
Signs that windows or skylights were opened to create a draught
Intentional removal of valuable property
Evidence of intentional interference i.e. tampering with alarm/sprinkler system
Evidence of explosives
Misdirecting fire fighters
Evidence of accelerants i.e. containers
Smell
Traces in debris
Signs that a heater, soldering iron or other electrical appliance has been left on
Unusual rapid spread or intensity of fire
