Priority Action Report

Fire and Explosion Investigation

Crime Scene/Death Investigation

Craig Beyler, Chair

30 January 2016
Subcommittee Leadership

Position Name Organization Term Email

Chair Craig Beyler Jensen Hughes cbeyler@jensenhughes.com

Vice 

Chair

Philip Crombie, 

Jr.

Travelers 3 pcrombie@travelers.com

Executive 

Secretary

Gregory Gorbett University of 

Eastern 

Kentucky

3 greg.gorbett@eku.edu

2
Subcommittee Members

# Name Organization Term Email

1 Charles "Randy" Watson SEA, Ltd. 2 Years cwatson@sealimited.com

2 John Lentini Scientific Fire Analysis, LLC 2 Years johnlentini@yahoo.com

3

Mark Goodson Goodson Engineering 3 Years mark@goodsonengineering.com

4 Elayne Pope Office of the Chief Medical 

Examiner in Norfolk, VA

2 Years ebone50@hotmail.com

5 Chad Wissinger Ohio Division of State Fire 

Marshal Forensic Lab

3 Years cwissinger@com.state.oh.us

6 David McCollam Federal Bureau of Investigation 2 Years david.mccollam@ic.fbi.gov

7 Melvin Robin Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 

Firearms & Explosives

3 Years MELVIN.ROBIN@ATF.GOV

8 John Golder Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 

Firearms & Explosives

3 Years john.golder@atf.gov

9 Steven Carman Carman & Associates Fire 

Investigation, Inc.

2 Years steve@carmanfire.com

10 Mark Johnson University of Central Florida, 

Dept of Statistics

2 Years Mark.Johnson@ucf.edu

11 Chris Connealy Texas State Fire Marshall 3 Years (new) chris.connealy@tdi.texas.gov

12 David Sheppard ATF Fire Lab 3 Years (new) david.sheppard@atf.gov

13 Steve Campolo Leviton 3 Years (new) scampolo@Leviton.com 

14 Scott Davis Gexcon 3 Years (new) sgdavis@gexcon.com 

15 Michael Truebenbach Federal Bureau of Investigation 3 Years (new) mike.truebenbach@ic.fbi.gov 3
Discipline Description

The OSAC Subcommittee on Fire and 

Explosion Investigation focuses on 

standards and guidelines related to the 

investigation, analyses and interpretation 

of fire and explosion incidents. The 

subcommittee will work closely with OSAC 

Subcommittee on Fire Debris and 

Explosives (Chemistry/Instrumental 

Analysis SAC).

4
Summary of Priority Actions

Priority Priority Action 

High Candidate Registry Documents: NFPA 921, 1033

ASTM E860, E678, E620, E1459, E1188, E1020

High Compentencies

High Documentation, report writing

High Comparative analysis of relevant standards

High Research agenda

5
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 1 Registry Candidates

Document Titles: NFPA 921, 1033

ASTM E860, E678, E620, E1459, E1188, E1020

Scope: Fire and Explosion Investigation, Professional 

Qualifications

Objective/rationale: Define a scientifically based investigation 

methodology for fire and explosions, establish qualifications 

required by investigators

Issues/Concerns: RA-100 status

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Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 1 Document

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Title Organization OSAC Process

Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, 921, 2014 NFPA Guide RA-100

Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator, 

1033, 2014

NFPA Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Examining and Preparing Items that 

Are or May Become Involved in Criminal or Civil Litigation, E 

860, 2007 (2013)

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Evaluation of Scientific or Technical 

Data, E 678, 2007

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or 

Technical experts, E620, 2011

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Guide for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related 

Documentation, E1459, 2013

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Collection and Preservation of 

Information and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator, 

E1188, 2011

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Technical 

Experts, E1020, 2013

ASTM Standard RA-100
Task Group/Subcommittee Action 

Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

SAC Approval RA 400 Crime Scene SAC 1 April 2016

Subcommittee Adjudication RA 700 F&E Subcomm. 1 July 2016

SAC Approval For Registry RA 1100 Crime Scene SAC 1 September 2016

Guidelines Registry Posting RA 1500 QIC 1 October 2016

Standards Registry Posting RA-2100 FSSB/QIC 1 December 2016

Priority 1: Registry Candidates

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Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 2 Action: Competencies

Task Group Title: Competencies

Scope: Evaluation of investigator competencies required

Objective/rationale: Enhance investigator competency

Issues/Concerns:

• Evaluate existing training/competency requirements

• Develop proposals for training and competencies

• Proposals are expected to be to NFPA 1033, Standard for Professional 

Qualifications for Fire Investigator, whose 2020 edition revision cycle 

begins in 2017.

9

Task Group Name: Competencies

Task Group Chair Name: John Lentini

Task Group Chair Contact Information: johnlentini@yahoo.com
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 3 Action: Documentation

Task Group Title: Documentation

Scope: Documentation of the investigation, report preparation

Objective/rationale: Enhance quality of investigation reports

Issues/Concerns:

• Review current guidelines on documentation and content 

• Develop documentation, report preparation requirements

• Develop model investigation reports 

• Develop proposals as needed for NFPA 921 and 1033 for 2020 edition.

10

Task Group Name: Report Writing

Task Group Chair Name: Dixon Robin

Task Group Chair Contact Information: MELVIN.ROBIN@ATF.GOV
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 4 Action: Comparative analysis of 

relevant standards

Document Title: Comparative Analysis

Scope: NFPA 921, 1033, 1730, 1037

Objective/rationale: Gap analysis, areas for enhancement

Issues/Concerns:

• Identifying gaps that may exist in current processes, methodology, 

competencies required, and research in NFPA 921, NFPA 1033, NFPA 

1730, NFPA 1037. 

• Develop proposals to relevant document where basis exists

• Provide input to research agenda where gaps cannot be filled with 

existing science

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Task Group Name: Comparative analysis

Task Group Chair Name: Greg Gorbett

Task Group Chair Contact Information: greg.gorbett@eku.edu
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 5 Action: Research Agenda

Task Group Title: Research Agenda

Scope: Review scientific research, guide future research

Objective/rationale: Develop a F&E Research Agenda

Issues/Concerns:

• Review state-of-the-art of fire and explosion investigation science 

and review related fire and explosion scientific literature

• Develop a research agenda addressing needs in methodologies 

and processes for fire and explosion investigations. 

12

Task Group Name: Research Agenda

Task Group Chair Name: Phil Crombie

Task Group Chair Contact Information: pcrombie@travelers.com
Standards/Guidelines Development

Registry Process Status

13

Title Organization OSAC Process

Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, 921, 2014 NFPA Guide RA-100

Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator, 

1033, 2014

NFPA Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Examining and Preparing Items that 

Are or May Become Involved in Criminal or Civil Litigation, E 

860, 2007 (2013)

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Evaluation of Scientific or Technical 

Data, E 678, 2007

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or 

Technical experts, E620, 2011

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Guide for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related 

Documentation, E1459, 2013

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Collection and Preservation of 

Information and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator, 

E1188, 2011

ASTM Standard RA-100

Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Technical 

Experts, E1020, 2013

ASTM Standard RA-100
Standards/Guidelines Reviewed For 

Technical Merit

Title Developing 

Organization Status*

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., RA 

100)

NFPA 1037 Professional Qualifications for Fire 

Marshal, 2012 edition

NFPA Evaluating R-000

NFPA 1730 Organization and Deployment of 

Fire Prevention Inspection and Code

Enforcement, Plan Review, Investigation, and 

Public Education Operations, 2016 edition

NFPA Evaluating R-000

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Research Gaps Identified

• Potential for reducing bias in fire and explosion investigations

• Validation of origin and cause determination protocols 

Research Needs Assessment forms completed for the above.

A more comprehensive Research Agenda is under development

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Priority Action Report

Fire and Explosion Investigation

Crime Scene/Death Investigation

Craig Beyler

30 January 2016
17