By Roger Krupp
In most jurisdictions, the fire chief or a designate has a statutory requirement to determine the origin and cause of fires that occurred in their communities.
Are your department’s fire investigators qualified to conduct fire origin and cause investigations and testify in court? If not, they likely will be unable to present their opinions in either criminal or civil court proceedings, or may find themselves accused of spoliation of evidence of a fire’s cause.
The professional fire investigator should be conducting their investigations in anticipation of testifying in court. Gone are the days of the fire investigator going into court and stating, “I’ve been on the department for so many years, so I am an expert.”
If they have no formal fire investigation education, continuing education and knowledge of the current standards and guides on fire investigation, they will not qualify. Fire investigation is a profession, not just a position.
1033 and 921
NFPA 1033 Professional Qualifications for the Fire Investigator provides the standard qualifications for fire investigators. It lists the requisite knowledge and skills the fire investigator must have. The professional fire investigator needs to be trained to the ever-changing standards of NFPA 1033, which typically has a five-year renewal cycle.
NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations is the authoritative guide on how fire and explosion investigations are to be conducted. Fire investigators not familiar with NFPA 921 will find their conclusions vigorously challenged when it counts — in the courtroom.
NFPA 921 usually has changes with each renewal cycle, as well.
When selecting members of your department to be fire investigators, they should be the ones willing to dedicate the extra effort to continue their education in fire investigation. Your department needs to support your selected fire investigators through professional association membership and their continuing education.
Your investigator has probably received local training or certification. These are good first steps. To maintain their competency they need to continue their education.
Professional training
Membership in a professional organization such as the International Association of Arson Investigators or others is a good resource. For example, IAAI provides training at various regional locations through its network of state chapters. It also publishes a quarterly journal with articles on current fire investigation techniques and related research.
The IAAI offers free online training through CFITrainer.net. CFITrainer was developed with a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety grant. The training modules are professionally produced and meet the requirements of NFPA 1033 and 921. Upon completion of a module the investigator takes a test, and if successful, receives a certificate.
The IAAI offers professional certification programs that require recertification to document continued learning and experience. IAAI-CFI (Certified Fire Investigator) is a Pro-Board accredited certification. To receive certification, an investigator must show documented education, courtroom testimony and experience before challenging the certification exam. IAAI-CFI requires recertification every five years.
Other certifications are IAAI-FIT (Fire Investigation Technician) designed for the new investigator or those who may assist in a fire investigation, IAAI-ECT (Evidence Collection Technician) and IAAI-CI (Certified Instructor). These certifications help investigators document their competencies and show their commitment to being a professional fire investigator.
We often think of fire investigators as those who just determine the origin and cause of fires. Their work is an important part of your community’s prevention efforts.
They identify acts of arson so the person responsible can be held accountable. They uncover juvenile fire setters so they can receive the proper care to prevent them from setting fires.
They identify faulty products so the product can be removed from the market and they identify trends such as improper candle use so preventative public service messages can be released.