WHAT IS NFPA 921

NAFI SUPPORT OF NFPA 921

UPCOMING NAFI 921 EVENTS

MEMBERSHIP OF THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON FIRE INVESTIGATIONS

The scope of the Technical Committee's work is outlined by the NFPA Standards Council as follows:

• Committee Scope: This Committee shall have primary responsibility for documents relating to techniques to be used in investigating fires, and equipment and facilities designed to assist or be used in developing or verifying data needed by fire investigators in the determination of the origin and development of hostile fires."

NFPA 921 stated purpose in its section 1-2 Purpose is "... to establish guidelines and recommendations for the safe and systematic investigation or analysis of fire and explosion incidents."

NFPA 921-1998 lists its history as follows:

• Origin and Development of NFPA 921 NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, was developed by the Technical Committee on Fire Investigations to assist in improving the fire investigation process and the quality of information on fires resulting from the investigative process. The guide is intended for use by both public sector employees who have statutory responsibility for fire investigation and private sector persons conducting investigations for insurance companies or litigation purposes. The goal of the Committee is to provide guidance to investigators that is based on accepted scientific principles or scientific research.

  "The first edition of the document, issued by the Association in 1992, focused largely on the determination of origin and cause of fires and explosions involving structures. The second edition of the document included revised chapters on the collection and handling of physical evidence, safety, and explosions. NFPA 907M, Manual for the Determination of Electrical Fire Causes, was withdrawn as an individual document and was integrated with revisions into this document as a separate chapter. Elements of NFPA 907M that relate to other chapters of this document were relocated appropriately. New chapters dealing with the investigation of motor vehicle fires, management of major investigations, incendiary fires, and appliances were added.

  "The third edition of the document includes a new chapter on fuel gas systems in buildings and the impact of fuel gases on fire and explosion investigations (Chapter 19). The chapter on electricity and fire (Chapter 14) was rewritten to improve organization, clarify terminology, and add references. In the chapter on fire patterns (Chapter 4), several sections were revised. Other revisions were made in Chapter 9 in the subject of preservation of the fire scene and physical evidence. This edition also includes new text regarding ignitible liquid detection canine/handler teams."

The fourth edition of the document was issued in Spring 2001. It contains updates of current edition topics as well as new chapters covering Wildfire Investigation, Failure Analysis, Human Factors, Fire Deaths and Injuries, and Building Systems. A new format and chapter renumbering is also included.

[This list represents the membership as of December 2001. Since that time, changes in the membership may have occurred.]

Principal (Voting) Members

Alternates

Nonvoting

NAFI has been a zealous supporter of NFPA 921 since the document's very inception. NAFI has had official representation on the NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Investigators since the Committee's very first meeting in 1986.

Each of the three previous editions of NFPA 921 and the currently proposed 2001 edition have been adopted by NAFI resolutions at annual general membership meetings.

Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator Program
The National Certification Board Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator examination has been based upon the investigative principles in 921 since 1987, even before the official adoption of the document by the NFPA.

NAFI Sponsored Training Programs
All of the training programs and seminars of NAFI teach the principles espoused in 921.

The semi-annual NAFI and NFPA co-sponsored National Fire, Arson, and Explosion Investigation Training Programs (Introductory and Advanced) teach to NFPA 921. These are the only NFPA co-sponsored programs that teach Fire Investigation according to NFPA 921.

NAFI Representation on the Technical Committee on Fire Investigations
In addition to NAFI having an official representative on the Technical Committee since the Committee's inception, many Committee members are also regular NAFI members.

NAFI's Chairman of the Board, Treasurer, Chairman of the National Certification Board, and two of the members of the NAFI Board of Directors currently serve on the Technical Committee. Three additional NAFI Board members have previously served on the committee as principal members, alternates, or as task group members.