Fire & Explosion Investigation Subcommittee

The Fire & Explosion Investigation Subcommittee focuses on standards and guidelines related to the investigation, analyses and interpretation of crime scenes where arson or use of explosives is suspected.

Officers | Members | Standards | Discipline-Specific Baseline Documents | Research & Development Needs | Presentations

Officers

Philip Crombie, Jr., Subcommittee Chair, Travelers Insurance

Members

Standards

Tier 1: On the OSAC Registry

• NFPA 921:2017 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations (effective November 1, 2017).
• NFPA 1033:2014 Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator (effective December 22, 2016).

Tier 2: Published by a Standards Developing Organization (SDO)

• NFPA 921:2017 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations.
• NFPA 1033:2014 Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator.

Tier 3: Sent to an SDO

• Standard for the Organization and Operation of Fire Investigation Units.

Tier 4: Under Development

• None currently.

Discipline-Specific Baseline Documents

The Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) has provided the opportunity for OSAC subcommittees to identify baseline documents and reference materials that best reflect the current state of the practice within their respective disciplines. 

These documents contain practical information regarding these disciplines that can help forensic scientists, judges, lawyers, researchers, other interested parties and the general public, to better understand the nature, scope, and foundations of the individual disciplines as they are currently practiced.

It is important to note that the identification of these documents in this venue does not represent an endorsement by OSAC or NIST. Only documents that are posted on the OSAC Registry constitute OSAC endorsement. All copyrights for these documents are reserved by their owners. Subcommittee position statements or responses to data collections by the subcommittee represent the consensus opinion of the subcommittee, not necessarily the position of the entire OSAC organization or NIST.

• Strategic Plan for Fire and Explosion Investigation: Strengthening Fire and Explosion Investigation in the United States: A Path Forward (under development).

ASTM (https://astm.org):

• ASTM E620 Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or Technical Experts.
• ASTM E678 Standard Practice for Evaluation of Scientific and Technical Data.
• ASTM E860 Standard Practice for Examining and Preparing Items that Are or May Become Involved in Criminal or Civil Litigation.
• ASTM E1020 Standard Practice for Reporting Incidents that May Involve Criminal or Civil Litigation.
• ASTM E1188 Standard Practice for Collection and Preservation of Information and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator.
• ASTM E1355 Standard Guide for Evaluating the Predictive Capability of Deterministic Fire Models.
• ASTM E1459 Standard Guide for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related Documentation.
• ASTM E1492 Standard Practice for Receiving, Documenting, Storing, and Retrieving Evidence in a Forensic Science Laboratory.
• ASTM 1591 Standard Guide for Obtaining Data for Fire Growth Models.

Websites:

• CFItrainer.net (https://www.cfitrainer.net/)
• IAAI (https://www.firearson.com/)
• NAFI (https://www.nafi.org)
• UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (https://ulfirefightersafety.org/)

Research & Development Needs

• See the research and development needs identified by the Fire & Explosion Investigation Subcommittee.

Presentations

• None currently.