We are all aware of the importance of data when following scientific methods when conducting fire investigations. This process and the use of data to support our findings are fundamental to our work product. Our reports follow the scientific method and document the methodology we used and the results. This process tells others how we reached our conclusions, and these conclusions should withstand the rigors of review and replication.

In that same vein, other aspects of data are equally important to fire investigators. Therefore, I would like to explore three different data types with you in this issue, each of which is important to your health. 

The first type of data that is very important to us is scientific research regarding the health hazards present in the post-fire environment. Until recently, we have had to rely on firefighter-focused studies that looked at the suppression and overhaul environments. For example, A 2010 study by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. looking at the overhaul stage found that, regarding smoke particles collected during overhaul, 97+ % were too small to be visible by the naked eye suggesting that ‘clean’ air was not really that clean (Fabian, et al., 2010). Unfortunately, these are the nanoparticulates that persist at most scenes through the fire investigation stage and beyond. 

In 2020, the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.’s Fire Safety Research Institute conducted experiments to measure the amounts of gases and particulates in burned structures over time. This work looked at post-fire structures over five days in various situations to simulate typical fire investigator activities, including with no one present, with someone just walking through the scene, and disturbing the scene with investigator-like activities. These are the first significant research findings directly related to the post-fire environment. UL FSRI deserves a debt of gratitude from the entire fire investigation community because they funded this project’s sample analysis without grant assistance. In addition, they conducted additional post-fire scene test burns this past fall that will be reported later this year. 

Also of interest to fire investigators is the ongoing research by the University of Miami’s (UM) Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Funded by the state of Florida and as part of the Fire Investigator Expansion Study portion of the federally funded Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study, public and private fire investigators in various areas of the country are wearing silicone wristband material while working at post-fire scenes. This substance is used because it can absorb the gases, which can then be analyzed for 16 EPA Priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), many of which are carcinogenic. While cumulative results have not yet been published but are expected this year, in one group of 27 North Carolina fire investigators, 90% of recorded exposures were attributed to lower molecular weight PAHs. These are produced in smoldering fires versus the higher molecular weight PAHs found during an active fire. In addition, there were significantly high naphthalene (a possibly carcinogenic substance to humans according to the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC)) and phenanthrene (which is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans according to the IARC) readings in all 27. Their average exposure was 6.2 days post suppression, with most within three days.

The results of the UL FSRI study and the ongoing research by UM provide us with first-of-its-kind data specifically about the post-fire environment. The data strongly suggest that hazardous gases persist in the post-fire environment for an extended period, creating an exposure hazard that requires protection. Unfortunately, these are NOT visible hazards, but they are present at almost every fire, and they may contribute to significant health issues at some point in the future if we don’t adequately protect ourselves. These findings strongly support the need to use PPE, including proper respiratory protection at ALL post-fire scenes.

The second type of data essential to fire investigators is tracking exposures. As supported by the above, we are exposed to carcinogenic material at almost every fire scene we attend. Therefore, we must document those exposures. Unfortunately, we cannot rely on our employer to do this. On the one hand, a simple Excel® spreadsheet can be used to record basic information regarding the scene, including date, location or address, the type of scene, the amount of time spent working in the scene, and any identifiable hazards or issues. I have a template available if you are interested. 

On the other hand, a better way is to use the Personal Exposure Reporter app developed by the University of Miami. The only one that I am aware of that specifically includes fire investigators. This data collection tool is available free of charge at  https://per.miami.edu and allows you to track every exposure. So, regardless of whether you work one or multiple fire investigation jobs or leave one and start another, all your information is in one secure place. And if you are also a firefighter, those exposures can also be recorded here. This data could be crucial should you have a medical issue in the future because you will have complete documentation of all your exposures.

The third type of data that is important to fire investigators is accident and near-miss reporting. An accident is an undesired event that causes harm to people, damage to property, or an interruption of the work process (Bird & Germain, 1992). A near-miss incident is an undesired event that could have resulted in an accident under slightly different circumstances. These incidents offer a warning about the potential for a loss or accident to occur. Near-miss incidents are the real safety in the shadows, the accidents that haven’t happened yet (McKinnon, 2016). The difference between a near miss and an accident is usually attributed to luck or fate. However, understanding how and why these occur allows everyone to learn and do better. This is an area within fire investigations that we need to know more about. 

While there are accident and near-miss data collection programs for the fire service in general, these do not adequately address the needs of fire investigators. Therefore, the IAAI board has approved the creation of a unique, dedicated Fire Investigator Accident and Near-Miss Reporting Program. In a cooperative project managed by the IAAI Health & Safety Committee, the Personal Exposure Reporter app referenced above will be the data collection tool for this program. This program is under development and should be available this coming April. I strongly encourage every fire investigator involved in an accident or near-miss incident to report it anonymously using the PER app (https://per.miami.edu). The more information collected, the better the output data will be, and this helps every fire investigator. The committee will report the output summary data so that training programs, policies and procedures, and other processes can be adjusted accordingly.

As we learn more about the health hazards of the post-fire environment, we need to understand the long-term adverse health effects on our bodies and protect ourselves accordingly. 

References

Bird, F. E., & Germain, G. L. (1992). Practical   Loss Control Leadership, 2nd Edition. Atlanta: International Loss Control   Institute.

Fabian, T., Borgerson, J. L., Kerber, S. I., Gandhi,   P. D., Baxter, C. S., Ross, C. S., . . . Dalton, J. M. (2010). FIREFIGHTER   EXPOSURE TO SMOKE PARTICULATES. Northbrook, IL: Underwriters   Laboratories, Inc.

Horn, G., Madryzkowski, D., Neumann, D. L., Mayer,   A. C., & Fent, K. W. (2021). Airborne contamination during post-fire   investigations: Hot, warm and cold scenes. Journal of Occupational and   Environmental Hygiene.

McKinnon, R. (2016). Risk-based, Management-led,   Audit-driven, Safety Management Systems. Retrieved from   vbk://9781315394213