NFPA Journal - Fall 2022 - 61

STEPS AHEAD
Recommendations from the OSAC report on advancing fire investigation in the US
Fire and explosion investigation units should operate using a
team approach. Cooperative investigation task force arrangements
with neighboring jurisdictions, state-level agencies, and
ATF should be organized and supported.
Fire and explosion investigation units should implement information
management practices to minimize bias.
Fire and explosion investigation units should implement practices
to minimize potential bias by using such processes as
rigorous adherence to the scientific method, a technical review
process, and processes to limit the exposure of investigators to
biasing information.
All stakeholders (investigators, managers, lawyers, judges, insurance
companies) must take responsibility for requiring complete
and comprehensive fire and explosion investigation reports.
The research agenda should be adopted by research funding
agencies and carried out over the next several years.
Require competency and proficiency testing for fire investigation
units both in their training and their continued monitoring of
their work product.
Require accreditation of fire investigation units by third parties
based on an applicable consensus standard.
Require case reviews to be developed and implemented, which
can include retrospective and proactive reviews. A multi-disciplinary
review committee can be used to assist with this process,
such as the one implemented by the Texas State Fire Marshal's
Office.
Require fire investigation units to adopt a quality assurance
system.
Require all fire investigation reports to be subject to technical and
administrative reviews. Require that case documentation support
the opinions within the report.
Develop a consensus standard for the organization and operation of
a fire and explosion investigation unit.
Require fire investigation units to adopt a code of ethics.
Fire investigators should complete college-level coursework in
algebra, chemistry, and physics and understand how these subjects
relate to the behavior of fire.
Fire investigation units should establish a formal process for fire
investigators' work to be subjected to challenging technical review.
This system should include both a review of written investigation
records and reports as well as a verbal review that simulates testimony
in depositions and trials. Investigators should be required to
submit their work to this process routinely.
Fire investigation units should be required to establish a program
that provides sufficient training and continuing education for fire
investigators to meet the knowledge and job performance requirements
of NFPA 1033.
Continuing education should be mandatory with a requirement for
proof that an investigator is learning up-to-date information and
can reliably apply this information in the context of the scientific
method.
More competency and proficiency training and testing focused on
specific knowledge and skills should be developed.
Fire and explosion investigation reports should include all data collected,
all hypotheses formulated, details of the testing process for
each hypothesis, and the conclusions of the investigation.
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