ABSTRACT
This chapter is designed to introduce students to the process of investigating fire scenes and is not meant as a definitive or comprehensive guide to on-scene practice. This is available from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) [1]. Other references as well as agencies are available (see Section 22.6). Local jurisdictions usually have a fire marshal and the fire department might have investigators. Additionally, insurance companies will dispatch a fire investigator to work on the investigation. Certification of fire investigators is important, as it is for all certified professions but it is only a piece of paper indicating that someone has passed a test. Though this conveys a certain amount of knowledge, there is no guarantee that the person is a competent investigator.
