Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation (Protocols in Forensic Science) 
asked by potato on November 9, 2006 4:20 AM
Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation provides comprehensive coverage from historical, developmental, current, and practical perspectives. The author, uniquely qualified with years of experience in both on-site investigations and lab analyses, provides a resource that is unparalleled in depth and focus. The book is distinctive in that it not only discusses the appropriate techniques for fire scene investigation and the chemical analysis of fire debris, but it also focuses on the history of fire investigation and how the profession has evolved.
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Excellent book. John has done the fire investigation community an outstanding service by writing this book.
The sections debunking "arson indicators" are noteworthy, as are the excellent fire cause examples and the great pictures. If you don't have this book go out and buy one.
John Morse, PE
The sections debunking "arson indicators" are noteworthy, as are the excellent fire cause examples and the great pictures. If you don't have this book go out and buy one.
John Morse, PE
reviewed by blueoasis on November 18, 2006 3:45 PM
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Book Review:
Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation
by John J. Lentini
Mr. Lentini has produced a book on fire investigations. So, why purchase and read another book on this subject, it has been covered in several texts before. The book should be read to educate the reader [presumably a fire investigator] on the significance of their work. Fire investigations impact people's lives. Aside from the lofty goal of making accurate determinations of causes of fires thereby helping to prevent a repeat of the fire, determinations of the fire cause can impact a person's financial wellbeing for the remainder of their life, affect a person's personal freedom, and in the extreme instance, determine if a person lives or dies. Yet, as Mr. Lentini so notes, a fire investigator is one of the few forensic professions where no scientific education or training is required to offer opinions on complex scientific phenomena. To this reviewer, Mr. Lentini is the first published author to stress the need for improvement in the professional standards for fire investigators.
Mr. Lentini starts out with the basics in the first six chapters. He includes discussions on fire science, chemistry and physics of combustion, fire dynamics and investigative procedures. Given Mr. Lentini's expertise in chemistry, he spends an entire chapter on chemical analyses and ignitable liquid residue aspects of fire investigation. Recognizing the audience for that chapter is limited, he encourages the unrelated reader to "skip over" all but the introduction to this chapter. He also devotes a chapter to ignition sources, possibly the most significant factor in any fire cause determination. Without the investigator being able to adequately address how devices work and fail, the tendency becomes to dismiss the energy sources in residences as not having caused the fire. This lack of consideration of devices that can become ignition sources is the most likely explanation for why fire investigators rely on the "Negative Corpus" determination.
Mr. Lentini devotes the remainder of his book to developing his arguments for recognizing the significance of the fire investigator's work. He gives thirty examples of how or how not to investigate a fire. From that foundation, he moves into the mythology of arson investigation and an excellent discussion on sources of error in fire investigations. The sources of error chapter [my personal favorite] may possibly be the reader's first realization that there truly is an error factor in fire investigations that must be addressed. He finishes up with a chapter on the professional-practice aspect of the profession, including quality assurance programs, consistency in one's work, and expert witness testimony. Although quality assurance programs may never get implemented in many fire investigation offices [both public and private], his discussion sets out for the reader a typical plan that is clear and not overly burdened with jargon.
Throughout the book, Mr. Lentini adds superb artwork including full color photographs, clear and in some cases color charts, graphs and illustrations. He also inserts his "Sidebar" discussions, examples and opportunities to discuss aspects of the chapter that illustrate or explain a concept in a little different light. His choice to push his publisher to make all photographs be in color was unusual, but by doing so he has made his text stand out from the crowd with its artwork.
If someone is just starting out as a fire investigator, other texts may do a better job of discussing the basic aspects of the profession. But, Mr. Lentini's philosophical approach on the responsibility of the fire investigator to conduct a thorough, scientific investigation is an excellent primer for a fire investigator to begin his career. Likewise, those career investigators that have been around a long time can benefit by the much needed reminder of the importance of their work.
Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation
by John J. Lentini
Mr. Lentini has produced a book on fire investigations. So, why purchase and read another book on this subject, it has been covered in several texts before. The book should be read to educate the reader [presumably a fire investigator] on the significance of their work. Fire investigations impact people's lives. Aside from the lofty goal of making accurate determinations of causes of fires thereby helping to prevent a repeat of the fire, determinations of the fire cause can impact a person's financial wellbeing for the remainder of their life, affect a person's personal freedom, and in the extreme instance, determine if a person lives or dies. Yet, as Mr. Lentini so notes, a fire investigator is one of the few forensic professions where no scientific education or training is required to offer opinions on complex scientific phenomena. To this reviewer, Mr. Lentini is the first published author to stress the need for improvement in the professional standards for fire investigators.
Mr. Lentini starts out with the basics in the first six chapters. He includes discussions on fire science, chemistry and physics of combustion, fire dynamics and investigative procedures. Given Mr. Lentini's expertise in chemistry, he spends an entire chapter on chemical analyses and ignitable liquid residue aspects of fire investigation. Recognizing the audience for that chapter is limited, he encourages the unrelated reader to "skip over" all but the introduction to this chapter. He also devotes a chapter to ignition sources, possibly the most significant factor in any fire cause determination. Without the investigator being able to adequately address how devices work and fail, the tendency becomes to dismiss the energy sources in residences as not having caused the fire. This lack of consideration of devices that can become ignition sources is the most likely explanation for why fire investigators rely on the "Negative Corpus" determination.
Mr. Lentini devotes the remainder of his book to developing his arguments for recognizing the significance of the fire investigator's work. He gives thirty examples of how or how not to investigate a fire. From that foundation, he moves into the mythology of arson investigation and an excellent discussion on sources of error in fire investigations. The sources of error chapter [my personal favorite] may possibly be the reader's first realization that there truly is an error factor in fire investigations that must be addressed. He finishes up with a chapter on the professional-practice aspect of the profession, including quality assurance programs, consistency in one's work, and expert witness testimony. Although quality assurance programs may never get implemented in many fire investigation offices [both public and private], his discussion sets out for the reader a typical plan that is clear and not overly burdened with jargon.
Throughout the book, Mr. Lentini adds superb artwork including full color photographs, clear and in some cases color charts, graphs and illustrations. He also inserts his "Sidebar" discussions, examples and opportunities to discuss aspects of the chapter that illustrate or explain a concept in a little different light. His choice to push his publisher to make all photographs be in color was unusual, but by doing so he has made his text stand out from the crowd with its artwork.
If someone is just starting out as a fire investigator, other texts may do a better job of discussing the basic aspects of the profession. But, Mr. Lentini's philosophical approach on the responsibility of the fire investigator to conduct a thorough, scientific investigation is an excellent primer for a fire investigator to begin his career. Likewise, those career investigators that have been around a long time can benefit by the much needed reminder of the importance of their work.
reviewed by mags on November 27, 2006 4:50 PM