Quality investigations started with qualified investigators. Follow the 2014 Spanish edition of NFPA 1033 for personnel that are up to the task!
NFPA 1033: Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator, 2014 Edition identifies the minimum job performance requirements necessary to serve as a fire investigator in both the private and public sectors. It applies to all fire investigations -- including outside, vehicle, and other fires that are not structural.
Topics cover the full range of investigation issues encountered on the job including:
- Scene examination
- Documenting the scene
- Evidence collection and preservation
- Interviewing
- Post-incident investigation
- Presentation of findings
Among significant changes to the 2014 edition:
- Requirement that the investigator shall have and maintain at a minimum an up-to-date basic knowledge of requisite topics beyond the high school level, but not necessarily a post-secondary education level.
- The list of knowledge criteria has been expanded to include fire protection systems; evidence documentation, collection, and preservation; and electricity and electrical systems.
The actions and conclusions of fire investigators can have serious ramifications from legal and economic standpoints, so it's essential that they be fully qualified to evaluate the situation and circumstances so they can conduct complete, accurate investigations. Order the 2014 NFPA 1033 to make sure they have the skills they need. (Print, 28 pp., 2014 Spanish Edition)