Thousands of fires occur on a yearly basis throughout the United States. Whether it is forest fires, house fires, or any other event that involves uncontrollable flames, the outcome will always be the same; high amounts of destruction and physical damage. When fire emergencies occur, responding to the incident may not be much of a complication as apposed to determining the source from where the fire started or what triggered its behavior, which is truly the challenge. In order to do so, a fire investigator has to be present at the scene of the fire after it has been eliminated. The investigator, after reviewing any possible marks or behavior trails, will conclude if the incident was indeed an accident or intentional, thus making it an act of arson. According to the U.S. Fire Administration Topical Fire Research Series, “Arson is the leading cause of fires (267,000 annually) in the United States” (usfa.fema.gov). Arson cases are very complex due to the fact that it can be committed virtually anywhere and by anyone, including fire responders as well. The motives behind arson incidents can also be a very complex issue because it may have been used as a cry for help or simply as a mode of cognitive escape. Gathered reports indicate that the main reasons for arsons committed by firefighter personnel are to be viewed as a heroic figure, an escape from personal stress, financial gain purposes, excitement, or even revenge against the fire company and others. Arson, as defined by Find Law, is “the willful and malicious burning or charring of property…classifying as a felony due to the potential to cause injuries or death” (criminal.findlaw.com). FEMA reports estimates about “280 deaths, 775 injuries and $593 million in property loss each ... ... middle of paper ... ...rder in L.I. arson case that left mom, kids dead. (2010, February 19). NY Daily News. Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/wannabe-hero-firefighter-caleb-lacey-convicted-murder-arson-case-left-mom-kids-dead-article-1.166261 Whitfield County firefighter charged with arson. (2014, April 27). Whitfield County firefighter charged with arson. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/news/2014/04/27/firefighter-charged-with-arson-georgia/8268415/ Special Report: Firefighter Arson. (2003, January 1). . Retrieved May 7, 2014, from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr-141.pdf Zapotosky, M., & Morse, D. (2009, November 6). 2 firefighters in Pr. George's charged with arson. Washington Post. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/05/AR2009110504793.html
...ire scenes. The case of Tight Shoes Inc. seems to be pretty obvious as I read it, but I can’t image an arson fire that is not obvious. Interviewing the right people and asking the right questions is just as important if not more than finding physical evidence. Being a people’s person and coaxing the right responses is an under stated in the job title of fire investigator. After following the five steps of comprehensive incendiary investigation and finding and asking the right questions to the interviewee will help secure a solid case against an arsonist.
There had been a terrible drought that year leaving the wood on the city’s buildings, streets and sidewalks dry and brittle. Building codes were pretty much ignored adding to the risk that these structures were not safe and sound. Chicago was a perfect spot for a major fire to break out. There are many theories on how the fire actually started. The most common theory is that a family’s cow knocked over a lighted lantern inside the barn. From there the fire grew and spread quickly, destroying many homes and commercial office buildings and even ships in the harbor. On October 10, when the fire was finally brought under control, there was an estimated 300 people dead and 100,000 people left homeless (4). Over 17,000 buildings were destroyed. (4) The estimated damage caused by the fire was in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Few incidents in America history have had an effect on the fire service and fire codes like the Cocoanut Grove Fire, the fire became so influential it affected the means of treating burn victims in a hospital setting pioneering the use of petroleum jelly and gauze as the preferred treatment for burn victims. On November 28, 1942 a fire that would consume 492 lives and injure over 166 patrons of the club. The Fire changed Boston’s fire codes and regulations instantly. The Cocoanut Grove Fire was a prime example of the potential devastation that will occur when fire codes and provisions are not in place or enforced as they should be.
Open smoldering with the end goal of battling a current fire by people associated with an authority firefighting office;
The difference between a fire that is warm and friendly and one that is ferociously hot and destructive is size. A small fire in a campsite can take the edge off the cool night air, and a raging forest fire can destroy a thousand acres in a few hours. Fire has been one of our most important tools on our journey from the beginning of time to the present day. It also poses a severe threat to mankind if it is not controlled. Children often experiment with fire. Any time a child starts a fire he endangers himself and the people around him. Juvenile arson happens on a routine basis, and has very outreaching consequences. Fires statistics reported by fire departments in 2003, show that children started approximately forty-two thousand fires, causing an estimated one-hundred sixty-five civilian deaths, nineteen hundred civilian injuries and two-hundred seventy-two million dollars in direct property damage (United States Fire Administration, 2004). The price that society pays for juvenile-set fires is extremely high. Tragically, the lives of the very children setting the fires account for most of the lives that are lost.
For that purpose, firefighter’s have to be mindful pertaining to the way they extinguish fires.
Christopher, Liam. “Mother ‘vindicated’ after girl’s murder suspect held.” Daily Post. 18 Aug. 2006: 19. Proquest Newsstand. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
The modern study of fire and arson in America was born in the 1970s. A 1973 Nixon Administration report called America Burning sounded the alarm and the report galvanized Congress to support the young field of fire research. Congress created the Center for Fire Research at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), which has become the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Until then, there really was no fire safety/arson science.
Johnson, Jason B. “ Slain Teen’s family: Cops eyeing 7-10 suspects.” Boston Herald. 7 ,April 1995
Arson is a criminal act which is related to the fire setting. It can be done intentionally or recklessly by a person who inflicts harm to his own property or to another property having some reason for this action. Arson is considered to be a crime. According to the laws of the criminal justice system, all the arsonists should be punished. The types of punishment include prison sentences, seizure of all asserts and financial penalties depending on the degree of criminal act. Arson investigation starts with the fire itself. To create and sustain a fire three factors must be present. The three factors are known as the fire triangle. The fire triangle consists of oxygen, a fuel source, and heat. In most cases the percentage of oxygen concentration
In January 2005, a fire in a Bronx apartment building caused six firefighters to jump from the fourth floor in attempt to escape the fire, which left four injured and two dead. Their lives were put at risk due to mistakes and unfamiliarity with equipment. Due lack of knowledge on hydraulics and sufficient water
Arson is the criminal act of burning or charring property on purpose. The act of arson may include such acts as setting fire to a property maliciously, or burning a property with the intent to collect insurance money. While most people consider arson to be the burning of buildings, it may also be the burning of cars, boats, personal property, and land. According to common law, there are certain elements required to determine a fire to be caused by arson. These elements of arson include (1) the malicious, (2) burning, (3) of a dwelling, (4) belonging to another. Most states define different degrees of arson depending on the circumstances surrounding the act. This includes factors such as whether the building was occupied at the time
...r it is arson, an uncontrolled camp fire, or a cigarette butt it doesn’t take much for humans to spark a disaster. Yet there is as well a few set by good old Mother Nature. On top of the effects on the earth as well as humans, there is only one thing we all can do and that is listen to our old pal Smokey the Bear when he says, “only you can prevent wildfire.”
Arson is “any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, [or] personal property of another” (Bartol & Bartol, 2011. P 463). Arson comes in many forms – juveniles vandalizing property, businesses trying to collect insurance money, and murderers covering up their crimes are just a few of the examples arson investigators deal with. The reasons why arson is committed and the psychology behind arson are as diverse as the crime itself. There is no one perfect psychological profile of an arsonist. Young, old, educated, illiterate, sane, insane, rich and poor all can become arsonists. With such a wide range of suspect characteristics, investigating arson is not an easy job, and it becomes more difficult with the knowledge that much evidence can be destroyed in arson.
It is important that first responders to an incident continually assess the potential hazards and risks that firefighters may be exposed to. Firefighters that are the first to respond to an incident must evaluate the possible dangers to the well-being of fire suppression personnel and take appropriate action (IAFC, 2010). Any hazards that are identified must either be controlled or eliminated before proceeding. The case study presented depicts a scene of a fire in which there is suspicion of arson activity. It is important for first responders to know how to assess the scene, protect vital evidence and provide the necessary information to the fire investigator. This paper will discuss the various components of proper fire scene investigation etiquette.