| Originator: | Kamrin Dooley Status: Approved Department: FSC Fire Science |
| Date Created: | 05/30/2018 Submitted: 05/31/2018 Completed: 09/17/2018 |
| Effective Semester: | Fall |
| Catalog Year: | 2019-20 |
| Course Prefix: | FSC |
| Course Number: | 242 |
| Course Full Title: | Fire Investigation I |
| Old course information: | |
| Reason for Evaluation: | Prerequisite Change Description Change CSLO, Competencies, and/or Outline Changes |
| Current Credit: | 3 |
| Lecture Hours: | 3 |
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| Clinical Hours: | |
| New Credit Hours: | |
| Lecture Hours: | |
| If the credit hour change box has been marked, please provide the new credit hour: | |
| New Lecture Hours: | |
| New Lab Hours: | |
| New Clinical Hours: | |
| New Internship Hours: | |
| New Externship Hours: | |
| SUN Course?: | No |
| AGEC Course?: | No |
| Articulated?: | Yes |
| Transfer: | ASU NAU |
| Prerequisite(s): | FSC 105 and FSC 120, or FSC 150. Prerequisites may be waived for Law Enforcement personnel upon Director of Fire Science approval. |
| Corequisite(s): | |
| Catalog Course Description: | Students learn the art of proper cause-determination techniques. The student examines a fire scene and learns to recognize the fire's origin and cause; ways to preserve evidence; ways to secure the fire scene; and methods for incident documentation. Students analyze motives of fire-setters and the types of fire causes. |
| Course Learning Outcomes: | 1. Apply proper fire scene interpretations and techniques to investigate a fire scene. (2, 3, 5, 6)
2. Identify the cause and origin of a fire. (2, 3, 5, 6) 3. Secure a fire scene to preserve evidence. (3, 5, 6) 4. Document incidents within reports. (2, 3) |
| Course Competencies: | 1. Evaluate the purpose, nature, and philosophy of NFPA 921.
2. Diagnose fire patterns. 3. Breakdown building systems. 4. Analyze fire related human behavior. 5. Evaluate the legal issues and considerations that may arise in an investigation. 6. Analyze the various hazards at a fire scene that can cause harm to the health and safety of a fire investigator. 7. Expand a fire investigation beyond the immediate fire scene through a variety of sources of information. 8. Evaluate the recommended techniques for determining the origin of a fire. 9. Evaluate the types of explosions. 10. Analyze incendiary fires. 11. Evaluate the effects of fire and explosion on the human body. 12. Demonstrate the investigative techniques used to analyze a vehicle fire. 13. Evaluate wildfire investigations. |
| Course Outline: | I. Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations (NFPA 921)
A. elements in the scientific method of fire investigation B. importance of fire science C. fire dynamics influence fire behavior D. heat and temperature II. Fire patterns A. cause of fire patterns B. fire patterns help determine origin location C. suppression activities can alter fire patterns III. Breakdown building systems A. construction types in commercial and residential structures B. fire behavior as it relates to the method of construction C. electrical systems most commonly used in residential and commercial structures D. buildings fuel gas systems influence the way a building burns E. investigation of a fire involving an appliance IV. Fire related human behavior A. human behavior contribution to the total investigation B. reference standards, guidelines, and regulations dealing with safety warnings and product design V. Legal issues and considerations that may arise in an investigation A. appropriate response to those legal issues and considerations B. importance of physical evidence in a fire investigation C. procedures for protecting and preserving the scene D. importance of note taking and the use of sketches and diagrams to analyze a fire scene VI. Hazards at a fire scene that can cause harm to the health and safety of a fire investigator A. proper protective clothing, equipment, and practices needed to conduct a safe fire scene examination B. hazards that need to be removed or mitigated prior to the initiation of the fire scene examination VII. Fire investigation process A. public and protected sources of information B. types of information that affect the organization of a fire investigation VIII. Determining the origin of a fire A. fire scene reconstruction B. elements of a fire cause C. cause and responsibility D. methods available to assist in the analysis of a fire incident IX. Types of explosions A. factors and characteristics of explosion damage B. origin of the explosion C. ignition and fuel source of the explosion X. Incendiary fires A. origin and cause B. ignition hypotheses C. various evidentiary factors XI. Effects of fire and explosion on the human body A. additional personnel required to investigate a fatal or serious injury B. combustion products and effects on healthy individuals XII. Investigative techniques used to analyze a vehicle fire A. various vehicle systems and components related to fire cause B. methodology used in the examination of a vehicle fire XIII. Wildfire investigations A. physical characteristics of combustible wild land materials B. factors that affect the spreading of a wildfire |