2022-2023 Yavapai College Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Yavapai College Catalog [PREVIOUS CATALOG YEAR]

FSC 234 - Fire Investigation


Description: Fundamentals and technical knowledge needed for proper fire scene interpretations, including recognizing and conducting origin and cause, preservation of evidence and documentation, scene security, motives of the fire setter, and types of fire causes.

Credits: 3
Lecture: 3
Course Content:
  1. Responsibilities of the Firefighter, Fire Officer, and Fire Department
  2. Observations approaching, on arrival at scene, during operations
  3. Identification of incendiary devices
  4. Criminal law/constitutional amendments
  5. Case studies
  6. Terminology
  7. Fire dynamics
  8. Building construction
  9. Fire protection systems
  10. Basic principles of electricity
  11. Health and safety
  12. Fire scene investigations
  13. Determining point of origin
  14. Fire Causes
  15. Vehicle fires
  16. Fire setters

Learning Outcomes:
  1. Demonstrate the importance of documentation, evidence collection, and scene security process needed for successful resolution. (1-5)
  2. Demonstrate the process of conducting fire origin and cause investigation. (3, 12-14, 15, 16)
  3. Identify the responsibilities of a firefighter when responding to the scene of a fire, including scene security and evidence preservation. (1-3)
  4. Describe the implications of constitutional amendments as they apply to fire investigations to include case law decisions that have affected fire investigations. (4)
  5. Define the common terms used in fire investigations. (6)
  6. Explain the basic elements of fire dynamics, construction, and fire protection systems as to how they affect origin and cause determination. (7-10, 14)
  7. Discuss the basic principles and identify cause and origin of fires. (3, 13, 14, 15, 16)
  8. Recognize potential health and safety hazards. (11)