Red Card Incident Investigation & Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which investigation model uses a timeline of events combined with a conditions-and-actions matrix to analyze a wildland fire entrapment?
- NTSB Aviation Model
- Accident Sequence Model (Correct answer)
- NIFC Barrier Analysis
- Systemic Cause Analysis
Correct answer: Accident Sequence Model
The Accident Sequence Model traces the timeline of actions and conditions leading to an entrapment to identify failure points.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a Post-Incident Analysis (PIA) conducted after a wildland fire operation?
- To discipline firefighters who made errors
- To identify lessons learned and improve future operations (Correct answer)
- To satisfy legal liability requirements
- To document property damage for insurance claims
Correct answer: To identify lessons learned and improve future operations
PIAs are learning tools designed to capture lessons and improve future firefighting operations, not to assign blame.
Question 3: During an investigation, a witness account contradicts physical evidence at the scene. What is the BEST investigator action?
- Discard the physical evidence and rely on the witness
- Discard the witness account and rely on physical evidence
- Document both and attempt to reconcile the discrepancy (Correct answer)
- Stop the investigation pending legal review
Correct answer: Document both and attempt to reconcile the discrepancy
Investigators must document all evidence and work to understand discrepancies rather than arbitrarily dismissing either source.
Question 4: In the context of wildland fire incident investigation, what does 'causal factor' mean?
- The person legally responsible for the incident
- Any condition or action that contributed to the outcome (Correct answer)
- Only the single root cause of the incident
- The weather event that started the fire
Correct answer: Any condition or action that contributed to the outcome
Causal factors are any conditions or actions that, if eliminated, would have prevented or reduced the severity of the incident.
Question 5: Which document provides the standardized framework for reporting serious wildland fire accidents and near-miss incidents in the United States?
- ICS Form 214
- OSHA 300 Log
- FS-5700-29 (Serious Accident Investigation Report) (Correct answer)
- Red Card Incident Summary
Correct answer: FS-5700-29 (Serious Accident Investigation Report)
FS-5700-29 is the USDA Forest Service form used to document serious accident investigations on wildland fires.
Question 6: A fire crew experiences a near-miss when a snag falls across their escape route. What is the FIRST action the crew supervisor should take?
- File a near-miss report within 24 hours
- Brief the crew on what happened and ensure everyone is safe (Correct answer)
- Contact the legal department
- Resume suppression operations immediately without delay
Correct answer: Brief the crew on what happened and ensure everyone is safe
Ensuring crew safety and accountability comes before any reporting obligation when a near-miss occurs.
Question 7: What does the LCES acronym stand for in wildland fire safety, as referenced in most incident investigations?
- Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones (Correct answer)
- Location, Control, Evacuation, Suppression
- Leadership, Command, Equipment, Strategy
- Lookouts, Control Lines, Emergency Signals, Sectors
Correct answer: Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones
LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones) is the core safety system whose failure is identified in most serious wildland fire accident investigations.
Red Card Incident Investigation & Analysis 2
Which investigation model uses a timeline of events combined with a conditions-and-actions matrix to analyze a wildland fire entrapment?