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7 Questions For Your Fire Investigator
7 Questions You Should Be Asking Your Fire Investigator
When it comes to fire investigations how do you know if your investigator is mediocre or the best around? Obviously, the main point of any fire investigation is to determine the cause of the fire. Is just anyone with an answer good enough for you? Anyone can produce a report, but there’s more to it than that.
The science behind legitimate fire investigations can be extremely complicated, but this doesn’t mean you have to go back to school to be able to choose a competent fire investigator. The following questions will help you evaluate your fire investigators. Then you can make sure you receive answers you can count on while avoiding the pitfalls of an inferior fire investigation.
1) Is the fire investigator looking at all possible causes of the fire? This may be difficult to determine because you might not need all those details in your written report. But it’s important to remember that while the report may be brief, the investigation cannot be. Even when the cause seems obvious, a fire investigation needs to rule out all other possibilities before confirming the cause.
Did the on-site inspection for a large building only take an hour? Did you get the final report within hours of the on-site inspection? This may indicate that the investigation was less than thorough. In the best case an incomplete investigation can miss subrogation possibilities. In the worst case it may end up costing you a loss in court when an opposing fire investigator uncovers something your investigation failed to reveal or questions why a potential cause or product was not investigated.
2. What is the fire investigator's background? Has your fire investigator ever taken the lead on a multi-party inspection or dealt with a subrogation case from start to finish? Do they have enough experience with subrogation to recognize evidence before it is spoliated? Have they worked on an arson case? Would they recognize a meth lab explosion? Have they been deposed or testified in court?
3. Does the company or fire investigator have a private detective license? It may sound strange, but all of the Great Lakes states (including
4. Does the company or fire investigator have professional liability insurance? We hope this is never needed, but do you really want to take the chance?
5. Does the company and the fire investigator follow proper evidence handling procedures? There are very specific standards for the collection and preservation of evidence including standards on maintaining a proper chain of possession, keeping an evidence log and storing evidence in a secure facility. If these standards are not followed from the initial inspection your subrogation possibilities will be over before they begin.
6. Can they handle any type of fire? Do you call different people for your commercial and vehicle fires? Or your product fires and residential fires? What happens when you’re not sure if a vehicle was involved in a commercial fire? Or when there may be a product involved with the explosion?
First impressions aren’t always accurate with people and they certainly aren’t always accurate with fires either. That’s why it’s important to have a fire investigator that has knowledge and experience with more than one specific type of fire.
7. Can the fire investigator or company handle the project if it becomes more complex? If the investigation uncovers subrogation possibilities will you need to call in someone with more experience for the multi-party inspection? Where will they conduct product testing or a multi-party inspection? Will you need to call someone else for a mechanical or electrical engineer? What about a plan of repair for structural damage? Multiple companies can work together, but this is more coordination for you and at times it can add confusion, duplication of work, and issues with evidence. Why risk this when there are companies that can handle everything from start to finish?
This may seem like a lot to ask, but a good fire investigator will have the right answers for all of these questions. Of course, if you’re having a hard time finding that fire investigator you can always call Nederveld at 800-222-1868. All of our investigators are skilled experts with outstanding credentials and years of experience that can stand up to the toughest scrutiny when needed. Put us to the test on your next explosion or fire and see how our exceptional service and experience can help you.
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