NCJ Number
31413
Date Published
1969
Length
12 pages
Annotation
PHOTOGRAPHS AND MOVIES OF FIRES CAN AID IN DETERMINING FIRE CAUSES AND TYPES OF FIRE, AS WELL AS EXISTENCE OF ARSON EVIDENCE. FIRE PHOTOGRAPHY APPLICATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES AND EQUIPMENT ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
FIREFIGHTING AGENCIES DEPEND UPON PHOTOGRAPHS AS TOOLS FOR TRAINING RECRUITS AND DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FIREFIGHTING TECHNIQUES. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ALSO USEFUL TO ARSON INVESTIGATORS FOR DETERMINING THE SPEED OF COMBUSTION AND THE MANNER AND DIRECTION OF FIRE SPREAD, THE TYPE OF MATERIAL BURNING (INDICATED BY THE COLOR AND QUANTITY OF SMOKE AND THE COLOR AND SIZE OF FLAMES), ORIENTATION OF DOORS, ROOMS, AND HALLWAYS WITHIN A BURNED BUILDING, AND THE AREA IN WHICH THE FIRE OR FIRES ORIGINATED. PHOTOGRAPHS RECORD THE PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF BURNING FROM VARIOUS ANGLES AND IDENTIFY PERSONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FIRE. A LIST OF COMBUSTIBLES AND THEIR CORRESPONDING SMOKE AND FLAME COLORS IS PROVIDED. ALL MAJOR FIRES SHOULD BE PHOTOGRAPHED FROM THE TIME OF THE FIREFIGHTERS' ARRIVAL AT A FIRE SCENE TO THE TIME THE FIRE IS EXTINGUISHED. THEN PHOTOGRAPHS SHOULD BE TAKEN OF THE RUBBLE, PARTICULARLY OF THE AREAS THAT ARE MOST CHARRED OR BURNED. PHOTOGRAPHERS SHOULD LOOK FOR AND CAREFULLY PHOTOGRAPH ALL TYPES OF INCENDIARY DEVICES, COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS, AND EVIDENCE SUCH AS EXPOSED BUSINESS RECORDS AND FILES, OPEN DOORS AND WINDOWS, AND ALTERATIONS IN FIRE PROTECTION DEVICES. INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ON GETTING A PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT STARTED WITHIN A FIRE AGENCY, SELECTING CAMERAS AND FILMS, AND MAINTAINING PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT. TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING FIRES AND FIRE SCENES ARE DISCUSSED FOR SIMPLE NONADJUSTABLE CAMERAS, ADJUSTABLE CAMERAS, AND CAMERAS WITH AUTOMATIC FLASH-EXPOSURE CONTROL. FLASH TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING INTERIORS ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. (DAG)