Description
Conduct origin-and-cause investigations of fires and explosions, documenting scenes, preserving evidence, interviewing witnesses, and producing reports and court testimony in coordination with law enforcement and other agencies.
- • Examine fire and explosion scenes to determine origin and cause.
- • Collect, label, and preserve physical evidence from scenes.
- • Package evidence in sealed containers to maintain chain of custody.
- • Photograph scenes, damage, and evidence to document findings.
- • Analyze burn patterns, fire dynamics, and accelerant indicators.
- • Test sites and materials to establish flash points and ignition sources using specialized equipment.
- • Coordinate laboratory analysis of debris and accelerant residues.
- • Prepare comprehensive investigative reports, diagrams, and timelines.
- • Maintain records of investigations and arson suspects and offenders.
- • Interview and, when necessary, subpoena witnesses, owners, and occupants for sworn statements.
- • Coordinate efforts with law enforcement, prosecutors, insurers, and other agencies.
- • Testify in criminal and civil proceedings as a fact and expert witness.
- • Dust and process portions of scenes for latent fingerprints and other trace evidence.
- • Secure, control, and release fire scenes to ensure evidence integrity and safety.
- • Review building plans, fire alarm, and sprinkler schematics to reconstruct event progression.
- • Evaluate the performance of detection and suppression systems as part of cause analysis.
- • Assess the role of hazardous materials in fires and explosions.
- • Provide post-incident recommendations to reduce recurrence and mitigate hazards.
- • Advise stakeholders on corrective actions informed by investigative findings.
- • Attend training to maintain current knowledge of fire investigation methods, safety, and law.
- • Teach fire investigation and evidence-handling techniques to department personnel.
- • Conduct internal investigations related to false alarms, negligence, or policy violations involving fire incidents.
- • Supervise and mentor investigative staff; plan workloads and evaluate performance.
- • Develop data-driven arson reduction initiatives and public education efforts.
- • Collaborate on multi-agency operations and task forces targeting serial arson or organized fraud.
- • Preserve and document chain of custody for all evidence throughout the case lifecycle.
- • Prepare case files and assist prosecutors with trial preparation and discovery.
- • Use scene mapping, sketches, and digital tools to document and model fire progression.
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Public Service & Safety
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
