Incendiary Fires: Impact Upon Firefighters Term Paper

These types of programs should provide refresher courses each year for the purpose of reminding firefighters what they should remember fighting and documenting the fire. The incendiary fire is one that is highly unpredictable because it does not follow the natural progression of a fire due to having been intentionally set and possibly accelerated with some type of flammable substance that may be highly toxic. The high incident of incendiary fires in institutions can only be addressed through cooperative and collaborative efforts with these types of institutions. In relation to Incendiary fires due to cooking equipment, the fire department should initiate campaigns by which to provide public information concerning prevention of these types of fires.

2. Incendiary Fires: Documentation and Evidence

Secondly, in the case of scene and evidence documentation it is stated that the investigation must by "systematic and technically sound" and that: "One of the most common mistakes made in the investigations of fire scenes is the failure to examine and document the entire scene." (Burnette, 2007) No matter how solid the case is for arson certain documentation will refute the claim that the investigator might have "jumped to conclusions without considering all of the evidence. (Burnette, 2007) Documentation is included but not limited to photographic documentation and fire scene diagrams, videos, scale models, and computer graphic simulations. (Burnette, 2007; paraphrased)

Conclusion

In order to address the reduction of negative impacts of incendiary fires upon firefighters responding to fires it is important that: (1) Firefighters be properly trained and equipped for the specific dangers inherent in fighting incendiary fires, (2) Institutions who are primarily the location of incendiary fires cooperate and collaborate with fire departments; and (3) Fire departments facilitate learning among citizens about prevention of incendiary fires. Secondly, in order to properly document the incendiary fire in the case of arson, proper training and departmental assistance are required if documentation is to hold up to the scrutiny of the court proceeding.

Bibliography

City of Yakima - Budget Strategy Team (2004) Online available at http://www.ci.yakima.wa.us/services/finance/minutes/2004minutes/09-10-04%20Notes.doc

Incendiary Fires (2007) LSU Fire & Emergency Training Institute Glossary. Online available at http://feti.lsu.edu/glossary/browse.php?letter=I

Gilliam, Jason W. (2006) Structure Fires and Fire Deaths within the Jurisdiction of the Farmington, Missouri Fire Department. Online available at http://www.ci.farmington.mo.us/publicworks/forms/Fires.pdf,

Burnette, Guy E. Esquire (2007) Documentation of the Fire Scene: A Legal Perspective. interfere online available at http://www.interfire.org/res_file/docscleg.asp.

Incendiary Fires....