FIRE INVESTIGATION UNIT
The First Fire Investigation Unit in Strathclyde was a Land Rover, that was basically used to transport the Audio Visual Unit officer on duty and his cameras. As far as I can remember the FIU officer had the rank of Station Officer. This was followed by a proper Fire Investigation Unit (as detailed below) and the Audio Visual Unit became a separate entity.
THE FIRE DETECTIVES
Strathclyde Fire Brigade is the first in Scotland to create a team of
officers solely dedicated to the investigation of fires. The ten officers comprising the
Brigade's Fire Investigation Unit (FIU) are charged with the purpose of attending all
fatal and other serious fires within the Brigade's area and obtaining as much information
as possible concerning the circumstances. A specially adapted vehicle with a wide range of
specialist equipment is at their disposal and close links have been forged with forensic
scientists at the Strathclyde Police Forensic Science Laboratory and at several
universities.
All the officers were individually selected for their personal qualities and
qualifications and undertook an intensive joint training course together with a scientist
from the police forensic laboratory who had a particular interest in fires. The training
hasn't stopped, however. A number of the officers are due to attend national courses with
other fire investigators. Indeed, one of the officers is already on the working party to
write UK national standards on fire investigation for the forensic science lead body in
vocational qualifications.
The Fire Investigation Unit works in concert with the Brigade's Audio Visual Unit, who
already provide video and photographic records of many of the Brigade's more serious or
unusual incidents.
The range of equipment that the FIU has at hand is remarkable and unique. It includes
apparatus that uses satellite technology to measure large areas using Global Positioning
Systems and various lenses, micrometers and vernier scales to measure smaller items.
Factors that are crucial to the scientific study of individual fires, such as wind speed,
levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide, degree of flammability, electrical continuity and
the measure of levels or angles can readily be addressed by the Unit. There is also a
comprehensive library at the Unit's base in Hamilton, together with three laptop computers
with relevant software packages that are as mobile as the Unit itself.
The Brigade has had an established, fire investigation system in place for a number of
years. But this utilised Command and HQ based officers who had other duties. The Joint
Fire Board approved the formation of the new Unit and allocated funding after being shown
that its role was not simply to determine the cause of a fire but to give the Brigade some
sort of feedback as to whether established procedures were working. Are our operational
and fire safety procedures having an effect? Are building control measures working?
Trading standards issues could also emerge and there is a real need to have detailed
factual information available in cases where legal implications may result. This is an
area of concern since Hampshire Fire Brigade were sued for £18 million and there have
been a number of recent murders involving fire in Strathclyde's area. The Unit consists of
a DO and ADO on the flexible duty system and four Watches, each of a Station Officer and
Sub Officer, who operate on the established Watch shift pattern. It is the Station and Sub
Officers who crew the FIU vehicle.
There are three other brigades in the UK who have formed dedicated fire investigation
teams but none have invested in the level of equipment held by the Strathclyde Team,
which, in consultation with manufacturers, is aiming to develop and enhance the range of
equipment available.
The Fire Investigation Unit expects to attend over 200 incidents annually, which will
regrettably involve around 50 fatalities.
(Semper Paratus Issue 1, September 1998, page 6)
Fatal first for unit
By PATRICIA KANE
A team of special investigators had
their ‘baptism in fire’ in Inverclyde this week.
Strathclyde Fire Brigade’s newly-launched hi-tech fire investigation unit was
called out to its first blaze – in Port Glasgow on Wednesday.
The team — based at the brigade’s headquarters in Hamilton — was created to ease
pressure on senior officers who constantly found themselves juggling paperwork
with fighting fires.
And their first investigation since the unit was launched on Monday, was into
the cause of the fatal fire which killed pensioner Robert Craig (73) at his Bute
Avenue home this week.
The unit’s Divisional Officer Iain Scade told the Telegraph: “Most people
consider that fire investigation is just a matter of tracing the cause and
origin of a blaze.
“But there is far more to it these days because we have to also look at other
issues, like building control and trading standards.
“For example, did washing machine ‘x’ cause the fire and, if so, how many other
washing machines of the same type have been responsible for similar incidents.
“The paperwork and amount of time required to do investigations properly was
becoming too much for senior officers, who also had to attend to their normal
duties as well.”
He added: “On Monday we launched our new investigations unit with a team of
specially-trained junior officers.
“It now means they will work solely on fire investigations and will be able to
gather and collate information more thoroughly.”
Assistant Divisional Officer David Adams said the new unit was "invaluable" to
the service.
He commented: "A dedicated unit such a this will be able to work independently
of the crews and allow them to get on with the job they are meant to do –
fighting fires.”
<PHOTO> RED ALERT. Members of Strathclyde Fire Brigade’s new investigation unit
attend the Port Glasgow blaze.
(Greenock Telegraph, Saturday,7 March, 1998. Page ?.)
The Fire Investigation Unit was launched on Monday 2nd March 1998.
The staffing of Fire Investigation Unit in
July 2007 was:-
1 Group Manager (B)
1 Group Manager (A)
1 Administration Assistant (Civilian)
1 Watch Manager (B) Training Officer
1 Watch Manager (B) Staff Officer
12 Watch Managers (B) 3 per watch
The watches were increased from 2 to 3
WM(B)s as if one member of the watch was off then the other couldn’t do anything
as they are not allowed to work on their own.
The FIU responds to all Level 2 incidents as a part of the Level 2 PDA.
(July 2007)
The new Incident Research and Investigation Section, IRIS for short vehicle was
designed by the officers in the Fire Investigation Unit. They are now called
IRIS as under the Fire Scotland 2005 Act they have to Research and Investigate
all Incidents not just fires and they are now empowered under that Act to
impound items from the scene of the incident and for this purpose they have a
secure locker built into the near side appliance.
In the office section there is a sink, fridge, microwave, 2 laptops and a touch
plasma screen. The vehicle does not have Satellite Broadband (as in Control
Units and TSU) but will be getting 3G Broadband in the future. The area is also
heated and air conditioned and the 2 dark windows on the near side have venetian
blinds built into them for privacy when interviewing witnesses or casualties.
The vehicle is powered by a whisper generator located in the rear locker on the
near side, which runs inside the locker and doesn’t need to be pulled out when
running like the one in the Technical Support Unit.
It attends any Level 2 incident, or where there is a fatality, serious injury,
serious smoke inhalation, large loss, on request from a Senior Officer, on
request from the fire ground or at their decision as they monitor all incidents
from their HQ at Hamilton.
They study all incidents from the previous day each morning and compile a report
for the Chief Officer. They also monitor Water Rescues and RTCs as they don’t
normally attend them and produce stats on them.
Appliances
| ? to 1998 | F118HHS | Land Rover Defender 110 Call Sign HQ39 |
| 2/3/1998 | F268WCS | Ford Transit/SFB Call Sign HQ18 |
| 2001 | X486RNS | Ford Transit/SFB Call Sign HQ18 |
| 2008 | SF07AKO | Mercedes 816D/Cebotec Call Sign P02S1 |
Photos of Fire Investigation Units.
If you know of any mistakes in this or have any additional information please let me know.