Full Record

35797

Developing a fire investigation policy for Yakima County

• The problem was that the Yakima County Fire Protection Bureau, with an average of 1800 fires per year and only two available fire investigators, did not have the resources to investigate all fires. The purpose of this applied research project was to develop a fire investigation policy that would meet the intent of the state law. The action research method was used to determine answers to three questions. First, what state and local regulations exist relevant to fire investigation responsibilities? Second, how are other Washington counties administering their fire investigation program? Third, how can Yakima County provide efficient fire investigation services that comply with the legislative mandate? A survey of other Washington counties was conducted to determine the basic operation of their fire investigation unit. A separate survey was conducted of Yakima area fire chiefs to determine their expectations for fire investigation services from Yakima County. In addition, personal interviews were conducted with Yakima County Corporate Counsel, a representative from the Washington State Association of Fire Marshals, and the chair of the Region 7 Public Safety Association. A policy was created that addresses call-out criteria and basic safety procedures for fire scene investigation. The policy included guidelines for stand-by resources and delineation of jurisdictional boundaries. Survey results indicated that the majority of counties were establishing response thresholds to meet the intent of the state law. The recommendations from this research included a) incorporating the proposed policy in the Bureau's policy and procedures manual, b) assisting the Washington State Fire Protection Bureau in collection of fire data, c) partnering with Region 7 Public Safety Association for the delivery of fire investigation training, d) developing an arson prevention public awareness program, and e) conducting further research into the development of an arson investigation task force.

• c.1: DOCUMENT ROOM - ROOM 209 [Status: IN]