CFI Fire Scene Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which agency has primary jurisdiction over a fire scene when a fatality is involved?
- The fire marshal's office exclusively
- Law enforcement, with the fire investigator working in support (Correct answer)
- The insurance company's adjuster
- OSHA, as workplace safety is implicated
Correct answer: Law enforcement, with the fire investigator working in support
When a fatality occurs, law enforcement typically assumes primary jurisdiction and the fire investigator works cooperatively within that structure.
Question 2: What is the purpose of placing a 'do not cross' perimeter around a fire scene?
- To prevent media from photographing the scene
- To preserve evidence and control access to the origin and cause area (Correct answer)
- To limit liability for the property owner
- To allow firefighters to re-enter safely
Correct answer: To preserve evidence and control access to the origin and cause area
The perimeter is established to protect physical evidence from contamination, loss, or destruction by unauthorized persons.
Question 3: When documenting a fire scene, the investigator should photograph in what order?
- From the interior out to the exterior
- Random order based on investigator preference
- From the exterior overview inward toward the area of origin (Correct answer)
- Only the area of origin and point of entry
Correct answer: From the exterior overview inward toward the area of origin
Photography should proceed from overall exterior views inward, capturing the context before close-up detail shots of the origin area.
Question 4: A fire investigator discovers potential accelerant containers during scene examination. What is the correct first action?
- Open and smell the containers to identify the substance
- Photograph and document the containers in place before collection (Correct answer)
- Immediately remove them from the scene for lab testing
- Discard them if they appear empty
Correct answer: Photograph and document the containers in place before collection
All physical evidence must be photographed and documented in its original position before it is moved or collected.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'scene reconstruction' in fire investigation?
- Rebuilding damaged structures to pre-fire condition for insurance claims
- Repositioning debris and artifacts to understand fire behavior and origin (Correct answer)
- A computer simulation of fire spread patterns
- A written narrative of witness statements
Correct answer: Repositioning debris and artifacts to understand fire behavior and origin
Scene reconstruction involves systematically repositioning materials to understand their pre-fire location and how fire traveled through the space.
Question 6: What is a 'chain of custody' in the context of fire scene evidence?
- A list of all firefighters who entered the structure
- The documented record tracking evidence from collection to court (Correct answer)
- The sequence of fire spread from one compartment to another
- An inventory of all property destroyed in the fire
Correct answer: The documented record tracking evidence from collection to court
Chain of custody is the unbroken, documented record of who collected, handled, transferred, and stored evidence to ensure its admissibility in court.
Question 7: During a multi-agency fire investigation, which document formally establishes roles and responsibilities among responding agencies?
- A scene security log
- A memorandum of understanding (MOU) or unified command agreement (Correct answer)
- The incident report
- A subpoena
Correct answer: A memorandum of understanding (MOU) or unified command agreement
A memorandum of understanding or unified command structure formally defines the roles, responsibilities, and coordination protocols among multiple agencies.
CFI Fire Scene Management 2
Which agency has primary jurisdiction over a fire scene when a fatality is involved?