FSC 243. Fire Investigation II. Course Package

Transcription

1 1 FSC 243 Fire Investigation II Course Package Presented and Approved May 2, 2008

2 2 Contact person(s) Michael Messner Date of proposal to 4/18/08 Curriculum Committee NEW COURSE PACKAGE FORM COURSE INFORMATION Prefix & Number FSC 243 Title Fire Investigation II Catalog Course Description This course is intended to provide the student with advance technical knowledge on rule of law, fire scene analysis, fire behavior, evidence collection and preservation, scene documentation, case preparation and testifying. Credit hours 3 Lecture hours 3 Lab hours Prerequisite(s) FSC 242 Fire Investigation I Co-requisite(s) Does this course need a separately scheduled lab component? Yes No Proposed semester for new course to start _X_ Fall 2008 Spring 20 Summer 20 Does this course need additional fees attached? If so, please explain. Is there a similar course in the college bank? Articulation: Is this course or an equivalent offered at other two- and four- year universities in AZ? Yes _X_ No If yes, identify: _X_ Yes No If yes, identify the college, subject, prefix, number, and title: Pima Community College FSC 185: Advanced Fire Investigation Writing Across the Curriculum Rationale: Mohave Community College firmly supports the idea that writing can be used to improve education; students who write in their respective content areas will learn more and retain what they learn better than those who don t. Courses in the core curriculum have been identified as Writing Across the Curriculum courses.

3 3 Suggested minimum standards for the Writing Across the Curriculum component are as follows: 1. The writing assignments should total words. For example, a single report which is 1500 words in length could fulfill the requirement, or a series of essay questions and short papers (example: four -375 word assignments) which total 1500 words could meet the requirement. 2. The writing component will represent at least 10% of a student s final grade in the course. Is this a course identified as a Writing Across the Curriculum course? Yes X No Intended Course Outcomes By the end of the semester, students will be able to: 1. Explain the rule of law as it pertains to arrest, search and seizure procedures and their application to fire investigations. 2. Recognize and interpret fire scenes common to various types of fires. 3. Describe the chemistry of combustion and the relationship of atoms, elements, compounds, and organic compounds on fire. 4. Explain the nature and behavior of fire including the effects of heat. 5. Explain and identify the combustion properties of liquids, gases and solid fuels. 6. Identify and explain electrical causes of fires. 7. List and explain the procedures for lifting fingerprints, evidence collection and preservation. 8. List and identify the make-up and use of incendiary devices, explosives, and bombs. 9. List the procedures for documenting fire scenes, including sketching, photography, and report writing. 10. Analyze fire-related deaths and injuries and describe methods of documentation. 11. Identify the techniques for interviewing and questioning suspects and subjects. 12. Explain the role of the fire investigator in courtroom proceedings including courtroom demeanor and testifying. 13. Identify and list the sources and technology available for fire investigations. 14. Identify and analyze the causes involved in the line of duty firefighter deaths related to structural and wildland firefighting, training and research and the reduction of emergency risks and accidents.

4 4 Course Competencies and Objectives Competency 1 Discuss the need for an analytical approach to fire investigation. Objective 1.1 Discuss the various types of losses caused by fires. Objective 1.2 Identify the responsibilities of fire scene investigators. Objective 1.3 List the logical steps that are used during the scientific method. Competency 2 Describe the elementary chemistry of combustion. Objective 2.1 Explain the chemical reaction that take place during oxidation. Objective 2.2 List the three most basic reactions of fire. Objective 2.3 Describe the relationship of hydrocarbons to petroleum products. Objective 2.4 Differentiate between carbohydrates and hydrocarbons. Competency 3 Investigate the nature and behavior of fire. Objective 3.1 Describe the two basic types of combustion. Objective 3.2 List the conditions that must exist for a fire to occur. Objective 3.3 Discuss the special considerations of heat as applied to fire investigation. Objective 3.4 State the role of various environmental conditions and their effects on fires. Competency 4 Identify combustion properties of liquid and gaseous fuels. Objective 4.1 Assess the physical properties associated with different types of fuels. Objective 4.2 Indicate the explosive ranges of gas and vapor fuels. Objective 4.3 Calculate the vapor density of gas or vapor. Objective 4.4 List the three main ways that fuel gasses escape from enclosed pipes. Competency 5 Examine combustion properties of solid fuels. Objective 5.1 Identify the combustion properties of wood as a fuel. Objective 5.2 Describe the complex relationship between temperature and time and their effects on emissions of wood fuels.

5 5 Objective 5.3 Determine when flame color and smoke production may be significant to the fire investigator. Competency 6 Describe sources of ignition. Objective 6.1 List five different open-flame fires and list their heat release rates. Objective 6.2 Discuss what temperature is required to ignite fresh whole wood and what temperature is considered a potential ignition risk exposed on a long term basis. Objective 6.3 List five conditions for spontaneous combustion to occur. Objective 6.4 Identify miscellaneous sources of ignition. Competency 7 Investigate structure fires. Objective 7.1 Explain what fire behaviors are revealed by post-fire indicators. Objective 7.2 Describe the most common search pattern for structure fires and four of its advantages. Objective 7.3 Discuss why a contents inventory is important to a fire investigation. Objective 7.4 Discuss the importance of fire scene documentation and describe the importance of the chain of custody. Competency 8 Describe the investigation of grass and wild land fires. Objective 8.1 Determine the area of origin, what fuel is present, and what source heat ignited the fire. Objective 8.2 Restate guidelines for collection and preservation of physical evidence peculiar to wild land fire investigations. Competency 9 Evaluate automobile, motor vehicles, and ship fires. Objective 9.1 Describe how fuel systems in automobile and motor vehicles react during vehicle fires. Objective 9.2 Discuss reasons for the development of unusual burn patterns in mobile homes. Objective 9.3 Discuss the role of combustible vehicle components, Competency 10 Explain electrical causes of fire. Objective 10.1 Describe arc mapping in fires scenes. Objective 10.2 Discuss ignition by electric means either by conduction, heating or arcing conditions. Objective 10.3

6 6 Determine which electrical appliances deserve special attention because of a higher possible contribution to fire causation. Competency 11 Diagnose clothing and fabric fires. Objective 11.1 List natural and synthetic fibers and their properties of combustion. Objective 11.2 Identify fire hazards as they pertain to fabric found in garments. Objective 11.3 State the regulation under the Flammable Fabrics Act of 1953 and how they evolved under the years. Competency 12 Discuss explosions and explosive combustion. Objective 12.1 Define diffuse explosive mixtures and concentrated explosives. Objective 12.2 Distinguish between combustion, deflagration, and denotation. Objective 12.3 Describe the differences between primary and main charge explosives. Explain the Four R s and the Four C s used at the search scene when investigating explosions. Competency 13 Assess chemical fires and hazardous materials. Objective 13.1 Identify the most commonly encountered hazardous materials and the effects they may be expected to have on investigators at a fire scene. Objective 13.2 State the precautions necessary when a clandestine drug laboratory is discovered. Competency 14 Describe lab resources available to fire investigators Objective 14.1 Explain the different screening methods to identify volatile accelerants. Objective 14.2 Give examples of types of residues left by chemical incendiaries. Objective 14.3 Discuss the importance on non-fire-related-criminal evidence as related to a fire scene. Competency 15 Document fire related deaths and injuries. Objective 15.1 Discuss the problems the investigator must consider whenever human remains are discovered at a fire scene. Objective 15.2 Explain the process involved in removing the body of the victim in a homicide investigation. Objective 15.3 Describe the effects of fire on the human body and other pathological findings

7 7 significant to the fire investigator. Competency 16 Portray arson as a crime. Objective 16.1 Define the three elements of the crime of arson. Objective 16.2 Describe three ways in which fraud for financial gain can be exhibited in arson. Objective 16.3 Discuss the difference between arson and incendiary fire. Objective 16.4 Determine what steps a good investigator must take to insurer that a sound case has been assemble to prove arson. Competency 17 Identify other investigative topics. Objective 17.1 Describe three of the basic types of fire modeling. Objective 17.2 Discuss the major impact of Michigan v. Clifford. Objective 17.3 List the essential information that should be contained in an acceptable fire expert s report. Objective 17.4 Discuss issues concerning the expert witness. Teacher s Guide: Course Materials and Equipment Textbook(s) Title Kirk s Fire Investigation 6 th Edition Author(s) John D. DeHaan Publisher Pearson - Brady ISBN X Software Equipment Other Title Author(s) Publisher ISBN Learning Units: Will complete at a later date

8 8 Course Assessment Information Description of Possible Course Assessments (Essays, multiple choice, etc.) Exams standardized for this course? Midterm Final Other (please specify): Where can faculty members locate or access the required standardized exams for this course? (Contact person and location) Example: NCK Gen Ed Division Chair Office Class Participation 20% Chapter Quizzes (Multiple Choice) 30% Midterm & Final (Multiple Choice) 50% Are exams required by the department? _X_ Yes No If Yes, please specify: NCK BHC LHC NMC DE Office of Instruction