Fire Chief attends Arson Investigation Course

By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief-SKNVibes.com

Hester Rawlins

The course, which begins today (September 15), will see Rawlins and a number of fire officers from the Caribbean undergoing five days of intensive training conducted in a valid, legal and proper origin and concept.

According to the Course Outline, the participants would deal specifically with Origin and Cause, which is the first step in working towards a criminal investigation in an arson cause.

It noted that the course would cover state-of-the-art investigation practices for the new and not so new fire investigator and, on completion, the participants would have the necessary tools to become professional fire investigators.

The course is also designed to assist and prepare the investigators for the challenges they will face in criminal and civil investigation and court settings.

The training package will equip the students to inspect and evaluate a fire scene to determine the area and or point of origin, source of ignition, materials, fire ignited and the act or activity that brought the ignition source and materials together. The necessary tools and equipment to perform the investigation will also be listed. ~~Adz:Right~~

They will also be able to prepare diagrams of and take photographs of the scene and utilise several forms of field notes necessary to compile the final report. The students will also be able to identify, collect and preserve evidence recovered at a fire scene.

At a fire scene, using the proper physical and legal procedures to retain the usefulness of evidence in the court proceedings, the student will be able to conduct interviews to obtain use of the information in the assistance of determining the origin and cause of the fire and, in clearing the final report, information will be provided and techniques for conducting lead and interrogation and obtaining news of the confessions that will withstand the challenges of the courtroom and the legal system.

Conclusively, the Course Outline states that the participants would also receive training in all past incident investigation, with focus being on the fire scene inclusive of the usage of public records, data searches and other financial records.

A source close to the Fire Chief boasted of his confidence in Rawlins not only being successful on the course but also completing it with “flying colours”.

The source noted that prior to Rawlins appointment as Chief Fire Officer of the Fire and Rescue Services, he was a member of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force for some 23 years and had successfully completed a number of courses including Intelligence Gathering.

“Rawlins served the Police Force in various departments. He had successfully completed an Intelligence Gathering Course in England and was a very competent detective, Police Training Instructor and Head of the Traffic Department. Therefore, with his experience and previous knowledge of information gathering, this course will not be difficult for him to complete with a very high degree of success,” the source said.