Section 42 Fire and Emergency Act 2017 powers:
Power to:
- enter any building, land or structure
- break into any building, land or structure
- take or send any machinery or equipment
- remove any dangerous, flammable or explosive material
- pull down or shore up any building that is on fire or in danger
- pull down or shore up any building at time of emergency
Section 44 Fire and Emergency Act 2017 powers:
Power to:
- turn off or redirect water to increase pressure
- close any road or railway
- move or break into any vehicle in the way
- remove any person in danger or obstructing
- turn off any oil, gas or electricity
- demand details of address from owner
- do anything else necessary to protect/preserve life
What is the MOU between fire, ambulance and police?
To share information and details to ensure that in determining the origin of fires
- Investigations and scene are efficiently co-ordinated AND
- Any relevant evidence is protected and collected for potential criminal and coronial matters
When will Fire Service notify Police?
- Fire resulting in serious injury or death
- Any suspicious fires
FILO’s responsibilities:
- Attend every serious injury or fatal fire in their area
- Co-ordinate fire investigations
- Arrange Police attendance
- Maintain relationships with relevant members of fire
- Offer advice and guidance
- Arrange training for Police in their district
- Maintain communication between national fire, intel and district crime managers
Police responsibility at an Arson:
- Manage any criminal or coronial investigation
- Undertake responsibility for the protection, collection and recording of forensic evidence
What is the fire handover process? 6 steps
- Fire service has authority until fire is out
- Fire notify Police if the fire is sus or someone is injured or dead
- Police request control of scene
- Fire will double check that scene is safe
- Conference
- Investigation plan to outline how investigation will proceed
What will you consider at an arson scene in relation to health and safety? How do you assess the risks?
Do an assessment of the scene and identify the possible hazards, following this come up with the best way to mitigate, isolate and prevent their impact
MITIGATE< ISOLATE< PREVENT
What protective clothing should you use?
- Overalls
- Gloves
- Respirator
- Steel caps
- Safety glasses
Common methods of lighting fires:
- Matches
- Candles
- Cigarettes
- Chemical starters
- Timing devices
- Molotov cocktails
- Electrical appliances
- Trailers
What are non-intentional causes of fire?
- Carelessness
- Faults
- Nature
8 Step process initial action suspected arson
- Interview informant
- Secure and control scene
- Speak to person in charge and specialist fire investigator
- Interview incident controller
- Conduct prelim exam with specialist fire investigator
- If 1C, hold conference
- Get staff, cordons, statements, areas
- Contact comms, gets required specialists
Who are the main witnesses at an arson scene?
- Police Officers
- Fire fighters
- Informant
- Owner
- Occupier
- Staff
- Witnesses
- Neighbours
What can you do to preserve and secure the arson scene?
- Keep people out
- Prevent interference with exhibits
- Keep an eye out for hot spots
- Keep an eye out for suspects
- ID witnesses
- Report anything of interest to O/C
Common approach path:
Should be limited to corridors to limit destruction
Should be examined before use
When Specialist fire investigator has completed scene exam, what will they determine?
- Seat of fire
- Point of origin
- Area of origin
What will Specialist Fire Investigator consider when drawing their conclusion:
- Witness reports
- When they first noticed the fire and what it was doing
- Weather, wind direction and speed
- Colour of flames
- Direction of spread
- Severity of damage
- Depth of charring
- Presence of starting devices
3 step process for exhibits
- Photograph in situ, seize and label
- Place in approved container
- Take control samples
Control samples of charred timber, ash, debris from seat and comparison with other points, accelerants and surrounding soil
What can a conference assist with?
- Assessing information
- Reconstruction
- Establishing suspects
- Establishing motives
- Planning further enquiries
Who attends the conference?
- O/C CIB
- Specialist fire investigator
- FILO
- O/C investigation
- Scene co-ordinator
- SOCO
- ESR
- Photographer
Best way to deal with body at the scene?
Wrap in bubble wrap, clearly label and place into boxes
12 step suspect process:
- ID suspect
- Who suspects could be
- Background of suspect
- Consider surveillance
- Establish motive, opportunity, connection, mens rea, background
- Search Warrant
- Interview offender
- Consider montage
- Enquiries to corroborate or negate suspects claims
- Talk to supervisor, have you satisfied elements?
- Arrest
- File
Initial action explosives
- Look for secondary device
- Don’t use cellphones
- Clear everyone out of 100m area
- If you find device contact experts
- SITREP
Signs that explosive was used:
- Cratering
- Spread of debris
- Shrapnel marks
- Shredding of materials
- Smell of almonds
- Overlay of dust
