May 2011 Five Minute Quiz
15th May 20111) It is important for firefighters to understand the variety of ways in which successful fire investigations contribute to safety and the rule of law. List 4 outcomes that can come from good investigative work.
2) It is the Officer In Charge’s responsibility to carry out the fire investigation into a fire that they are attending, and also scene preservation. List 4 ways in which this can be done.
3) List 5 possible contaminants that firefighters can inadvertently introduce to a fire scene.
4) What are the “Four Stars of Firefighter Responsibility”?
5) List 8 examples of when a Fire Safety Officer must be requested.
ANSWERS:
1) Collection of critical information on performance of buildings and building design in a fire; collection of critical information on human behavior in fires; collection of information leading to the apprehension of arsonists; assistance to the police in the solving of serious crime related to a fire; the continued shaping of fire safety policies and procedures; contributions to shaping or re-shaping of legislation related to fire safety and building design.
2) Selecting 'minimal' tactics (sufficient to stabilise and control the situation while inflicting minimal damage); maintaining professional discipline among firefighters so as to ensure maximum preservation of evidence and minimum contamination; restricting access to authorised people only; protecting key areas by cordoning areas off, covering areas with salvage sheets or boxes etc.; generally treating the scene as one big source of evidence.
3) Petrol engines; refueling petrol engines near the scene; tools; boots; hose lines; salvage sheets.
4) Observation, recognition, preservation, notification.
5) You are in doubt of the cause; there are fatalities; people were unable to evacuate the building; fire has spread from one fire cell to another; fire has spread from one structure to another; sprinkler systems have failed to contain the fire; the suspected cause is linked to consumer product failure; the fire is of an unusual nature or special interest; the apparent cause is suspicious or cannot be determined; fires where smoke has had significant spread; fires in multi-storied buildings and any sleeping care or accommodation facility.