Arson investigation questions

RKarina

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I'm in early planning stages for a suspense novel and the story revolves around arson/murder.
I've got a long list of questions ranging from procedural to mechanical and I'm hoping someone has experience in the field. I've done research online myself and I'm a former fire fighter and paramedic... so I understand the basics. I'm specifically looking for someone who can answer questions about the inner workings of arson investigation, as well as mechanics of arson itself.
Since this is early stage planning - it isn't like I can ask one question and get an answer... a couple of very basic procedural questions:


  • What does it take to become an arson investigator, and would it be reasonable for someone to be doing that job at age 28? (yes, I can find certification info - I'm looking for actual career trajectory info)
  • Who does an arson investigator report to? Is this a law enforcement position or a fire department position, or?

Beyond that, I've got a list of questions regarding the workings of an investigation, what type of kit/equipment an investigator might use at a scene, and need info on mechanisms/accelerants and the traces/evidence they would leave.

Thanks!
 

jclarkdawe

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Ultimately a fire investigator reports to the State's attorney general, but how it exactly goes depends both upon the state and the city. In most cases, an arson investigator is under the fire department's umbrella, but it can vary. Definitely you can become an arson investigator by age 28. In a lot of fire departments, it's not a very desirable position for most members of the fire department.

Your questions seem to be covering a decent textbook on arson investigation. I'd suggest reading one, or even a couple. I can think of hundreds of mechanisms and accelerants and describing them all is way become the scope of information on this forum.

Jim Clark-Dawe
 

dinky_dau

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Although big city police departments now have emergency services and 'terrorist strike investigation' units; traditional arson investigators are always under fire departments. They can work under one (or both) of these sub-units:
(1) Fire Prevention (2) Fire Marshals.
It takes more than just passing the firefighter's academy and examinations; it takes at least a 2-yr degree in Fire Science.

Although it is a uniformed position, typically when a new hire has just joined, they don't *want* a job like investigator. Really it's because the #1 thing for a young ff is increasing one's pay and one's hours. It takes time to boost both of those up. Working in a firehouse rather than HQ is the way to raise up the pay scale and get the best shifts. Investigators work a miserable, M-F 9-5 and may not be eligible for overtime pay (not sure). It's not glamorous and is considered dullsville.

Investigator is a job sometimes taken on by ff's who have been injured; or else as an optional additional (or even primary) posting. You can 'put in your name' for such assignments and work at them temporarily if you're eligible. You report to the manager of the unit. The unit has to have an opening and the manager has to want you working for him. A lot of old-boy networking frequently goes on.

Mind as well, that the agency's rules for all of this are always very persnickety, full of fine-print clauses and codicils; and are always wrangled over by managers vs the FF union. Rules rules rules galore about what is allowed and what is not allowed. But this overview should give you a decent gist of the situation.
 
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ironmikezero

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FWIW, there is an overlap trend affecting arson investigation and IED/EOD (explosives) investigation. You may want to keep that in mind when crafting a character's back story.
 

RKarina

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Thanks all... and yes, I have read a text book or three on the subject. While they give me some of the info that I want, I know they're very lacking in the real world application and the nuances that make a character more believable. My ultimate goal is to find someone with appropriate expertise whom I can interview, but I figured I'd start with a couple of basic questions and an idea of the direction I'm going.

A text book, or someone with passing chemistry knowledge, could answer some of the technical questions - but they aren't going to tell me the things that only someone who has been there can tell me. I've been a paramedic - I can read a text book and say "yep, that's accurate, but you missed a few things..." The way a scene smells, the little things that go way outside what they taught you in school...
 

dinky_dau

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You could try some of the various fire-related websites in the country (fed agencies or the sphere of fire equip/training contractors/vendors) because they usually have forums.
There's public safety magazines too, who host companion websites to their periodicals; and industry personnel post topics there. Listservs and whatnot.
'EmergencyManagement' is one such magazine. And there's industry-centric forums on LinkedIn.
 

cornflake

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You might also want to look into a lot of the debunking of arson science that's come about lately. There are a lot of things arson investigators have been using as a basis for stuff, will explain is true, etc., that's actually not scientifically rigorous or accurate at all, along with arson investigators who have just been 'trained' by other arson investigators on the job, who've fucked up cases royally.

There are a bunch of overturned convictions, cases that haven't been overturned but everyone knows were bullshit (Cameron Todd Willingham), etc., that have led to people looking hard at arson investigation lately.

I don't know if that's relevant for your book, but just saying, like if you're looking at old training materials, stuff in there may have been well debunked. Not that most people would know, but... just saying!
 

RKarina

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I don't know if that's relevant for your book, but just saying, like if you're looking at old training materials, stuff in there may have been well debunked. Not that most people would know, but... just saying!

This is one of many reasons why I have a list of questions for someone with expertise... Much of what I've found in research has been outdated, or disproven... but may still be in use in some areas... and then there are the reports that debunk the debunking so to speak. It's a mess for the lay person to understand.

I considered posting this in brainstorming as well - since there's a lot of talk that could happen that would be more about finding relevant information, whereas this area is meant to be direct discussion of particular questions.