FINAL by: OSAC Program Office; Version 2, January 13, 2020 1

OSAC RESEARCH NEEDS ASSESSMENT FORM

Title of research need: Fire Investigation Component of Publicly Funded Compartment Fire Research

Describe

the need:

A number of publicly funded studies have been conducted that investigate the impacts of 

ventilation on fire patterns in compartments. Some of these studies are related to fire 

investigation, but many have other purposes. This provides the opportunity to make small 

modifications to publicly funded compartment fire research that would benefit fire 

investigation applications. To the extent that making the fire test site available to the fire 

investigation researchers increases costs to conduct a test, these costs should be included 

in the original funding vehicle. 

Keyword(s): Compartment fires, enclosure fires, fire investigator education, fire origin

Submitting subcommittee(s): Fire & Explosion Investigation Date Approved: March 10, 2021

(If SAC review identifies additional subcommittees, add them to the box above.)

Background Information:

1. Does this research need address a gap(s) in a current or planned standard? (ex.: Field identification system 

for on scene opioid detection and confirmation)

The insight potentially available from this need is not well understood as the data from these tests applicable to fire 

investigation is not gathered or analyzed.

2. Are you aware of any ongoing research that may address this research need that has not yet been published 

(e.g., research presented in conference proceedings, studies that you or a colleague have participated in but 

have yet to be published)?

No.

3. Key bibliographic references relating to this research need: (ex.: Toll, L., Standifer, K. M., Massotte, D., eds. 

(2019). Current Topics in Opioid Research. Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88963-180-3)

N/A

4. Review the annual operational/research needs published by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) at 

https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/forensic-science-research-and-development-technology-working-groupoperational#latest? Is your research need identified by NIJ?

No.

5. In what ways would the research results improve current laboratory capabilities?
FINAL by: OSAC Program Office; Version 2, January 13, 2020 2

This research need is targeted to improve current fire investigation field work rather than laboratory analyses. This

research will serve to better inform fire investigators as to how to approach the interpretation of fire patterns as well 

as the training they receive in this area. In addition to a comprehensive report, a series of training materials would 

also be important to the understanding of how ventilation (or the lack thereof) affects fire patterns. Full scale fire 

tests are very expensive and should be fully exploited for all of the knowledge that can be gained from them.

6. In what ways would the research results improve understanding of the scientific basis for the 

subcommittee(s)?

See Number 5.

7. In what ways would the research results improve services to the criminal justice system?

This research will help the fire investigation community to apply a more systematic approach to fire pattern analysis. 

This more systematic approach will improve expert opinions and testimony relating to fire pattern analysis. Further, if 

this approach is followed, more full-scale fire test results will be available to fire investigation researchers, with only 

an incremental increase in costs.

8. Status assessment (I, II, III, or IV): I

Major gap in 

current 

knowledge

Minor gap in 

current 

knowledge

No or limited

current research is 

being conducted I III

Existing current 

research is being 

conducted II IV

This research need has been identified by one or more subcommittees of OSAC and is being provided as an 

informational resource to the community.