New Brunswick Fire Investigator Training (NBFIT)

NFPA 1033, Standard for Professional Qualification for Fire Investigatormust be appointed by fire department to take this training

Fire Investigation Level I
Fire Investigation Level II
Fire Investigation Level III
Fire Investigation - Report Writing for Fire Investigations
Fire Investigator NFPA 1033

Fire Investigation Level I

Prerequisite
Attendance is restricted to fire/police or persons having statutory authority/responsibility for investigation of fires/explosions. A letter of verification may be required. The Office of the Fire Marshal reserves the right to limit acceptance to those individuals who demonstrate an active involvement in Fire Investigations.

Course Description
This course is designed to provide candidates with comprehensive knowledge, which will be useful in fire cause determination investigations and will reinforce any experience and previous training. This course will introduce knowledge and procedures outlined in NFPA 921

Course Sections
This course is divided into four sections:

The first section introduces the course participants to the job of the fire investigator. It covers what to expect when you work as a fire investigator and the basic information you need to have about fire and how it effects buildings;The second section of the course teaches the skills needed to become a fire investigator;The third section of the course discusses the different causes of fire, what each is, how they start and how to recognize a fire that originates from that cause; and,The fourth section of the course discusses two special cases for fire investigators, fires in vehicles and fires where there has been a fatality.

By the end of this course the candidate should be able to:

• Identify the roles and responsibilities of a fire investigator;
• List the other people involved in fire investigations and describe their roles and responsibilities;
• Identify the fire tetrahedron and its components and how it applies to fire investigation;
• Identify and define the terms used to describe fire;
• Identify and describe the ways that fire grows and moves through structures;
• Identify the steps in the process for determining the cause of a fire;
• Identify life safety features of buildings and how they apply to the job of fire investigator;
• Identify fire investigator safety procedures and apply them to an investigation;
• Take notes, photographs and complete a report for a fire investigation;
• Identify ways to collect and preserve evidence from a fire investigation;
• Describe the laws and court procedures fire investigators may encounter;
• Identify characteristics of fires that begin from electricity, how to identify them, and who to contact;
• Identify characteristics of fires that begin from heating appliances, how to identify them and who to contact;
• Identify characteristics of fires that begin from natural gas, how to identify them and who to contact;
• Identify characteristics of fires that begin from spontaneous heat, how to identify them and who to contact; 
• Identify characteristics of fire setters and how to identify them;
• Identify the responsibilities of a fire investigator for a vehicle fire and how to identify/determine a vehicle as the cause of a fire; and,
• Identify the responsibilities of a fire investigator for a fatal fire and the laws involved in dealing with fatalities
  
  

Fire Investigation Level II

Prerequisite

NFPA Fire Investigation Level I or CFIS Level II. A letter of verification may be required. The Office of the Fire Marshal reserves the right to limit acceptance to those individuals who demonstrate an active involvement in Fire Investigations.

Course Description

This course is designed to provide candidates with comprehensive knowledge, which will be useful in fire cause determination investigations and will reinforce any experience and previous training. This program will expand on the knowledge and procedures outlined in NFPA 921 in the areas of Diagrams and Drawings, Interview and Interrogations, and the Post-incident Investigation.

Course Sections

• The first section introduces the candidates to the characteristics of deliberate fires. It covers the types of deliberate fires, who sets them, and the motives for setting them. Fire scene indicators are explored in detail to familiarize the candidates with all aspects of deliberate fires; 
• The second section of the course provides a detailed analysis of fire investigations, ranging from interviews, fire scene indicators, pathology, and roles of the investigator; 
• The third section discusses the role of the insurance adjuster and the investigator's relationship with the authorities; 
• The fourth section examines the role of the expert witness when testifying in court; 
• The fifth section provides the candidates with basic knowledge of building construction and its susceptibility to fire; and, 
• The sixth section introduces the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) 921, and familiarizes the candidate with the contents of the guide.
  

By the end of this course the candidate should be able to...

• Identify the roles and responsibilities of an insurance adjuster; 
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of the Insurance Bureau of Canada(IBC); 
• List the other people involved in fire investigation court process and describe their roles and responsibilities; 
• Identify the steps in the process for determining the cause of an explosion; 
• Identify construction features of buildings and how they apply to the job of a fire investigator; 
• Identify ways to collect and preserve evidence from a fire investigation and work effectively with the lab; 
• Identify characteristics of fires that begin from ignitable liquids, how to identify them and who to contact; 
• Identify advanced characteristics of fires that involve electricity, separate cause and effect, how to identify them and who to contact; 
• Identify characteristics of fraudulent fire setters and how to identify them; 
• Identify the responsibilities of a fire investigator for a fatal fire and the interaction with the medical authority having jurisdiction Identify the steps in delivering expert evidence/opinion evidence; 
• Describe the steps involved in a successful interview; and, 
• Identify the role of the Publication NFPA 921
  

Provincial Certification

Candidates will be issued a certificate which attests to their provincial certification upon successful completion of the program.

Material

• NFPA 1033 Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigators, 1998 Edition
• NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations 2001 Edition
• Kirks Fire Investigation, 4th Edition by John DeHaan

Fire Investigation Level III

Prerequisite

NB Fire Investigation Level II. Attendance is restricted to fire/police or persons having statutory authority/responsibility for investigation of fires/explosions. A letter of verification may be required. The Office of the Fire Marshal reserves the right to limit acceptance to those individuals who demonstrate an active involvement in Fire Investigations.

Course Description

This course is designed to provide candidates with comprehensive skills, which will be useful in fire cause determination investigations and will reinforce any experience and previous training. This program will expand the knowledge and skills outlined in NFPA 921 in the area of fire scene examination. A large portion of this course will be held at simulated fire scenes and will allow for hands on practice. This will prepare the student for the practical testing portion of the evaluation for certification as a Fire Investigator.

Provincial Certification

Candidates will be issued a certificate which attests to their provincial certification upon successful completion of the program.

Material

• NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations (most current edition)
• turnout coat or coveralls, helmet, gloves, protective fire boots or protective work safety boots, note book, 35 mm camera, flash, two rolls of film (24's 400 ASA), film processing, shovel, light and measuring tape.

Fire Investigation- Report Writing for Fire Investigations

Prerequisite

NB Fire Investigation Level II. Attendance is restricted to fire/police or persons having statutory authority/responsibility for investigation of fires/explosions. A letter of verification may be required. The Office of the Fire Marshal reserves the right to limit acceptance to those individuals who demonstrate an active involvement in Fire Investigations.

Course Description

This course is designed to teach report writing methods for fire investigators. This is not a general report writing course. The Office of the Fire Marshal reports follow the National Fire Protection Association 1033 Standard, the 921 Guide and have been developed based on results of court decisions impacting the presentation and admissibility of evidence in the courtroom. This course will also cover note taking for the fire investigator, presentation that are made by the fire investigator to various entities and making up courtroom packages for the presentations accompanying verbal testimony, including photographs.

Provincial Certification

Candidates will be issued a certificate which attests to their provincial certification upon successful completion of the program.

Material

Candidates must bring data and photographs from three fire investigations they have conducted.

Fire Investigator NFPA 1033

Prerequisite
Hazardous Materials Awareness NFPA 472, NB Fire Investigation Level I, Fire Investigation Level II, Fire Investigation Level III, Report Writing for Fire Investigators. Attendance is restricted to fire/police or persons having statutory authority/responsibility for fire investigation of fires/explosions. A letter of verification may be required. The Office of the Fire Marshal reserves the right to limit acceptance to those individuals who demonstrate an active involvement in Fire Investigations

Accreditation Process

Upon completion of the prerequisites the candidate must successfully complete a written and practical exam. The practical exam covers the six sections of the Performance Evaluation Skills Booklet for Fire Investigator.This program meets the requirements of NFPA 1033 (1998) Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator and is accredited with the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC).

National Certification for Accreditation

Candidates will be issued a certificate which attests to their national accreditation upon successful completion of the above.

Material

No materials are needed for this course