Technology breakthroughs impact NFPA 921: Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations. Correctly determine origin and cause using state-of-the-art information!

Make sure the work you do--in the field and in court--is based on up-to-date data and figures for systematic, safe, and accurate fire investigations. For conclusions and analyses that stand up to scrutiny, fire service, law enforcement, and insurance professionals depend on NFPA 921, and most certification programs for fire investigators use it for training. Now the field's most widely accepted source is revised based on scientific developments, court rulings, and technological trends.

Major updates in the 2008 NFPA 921 help you address challenges inherent in today’s world.

Complex fire events and disasters…advanced industrial systems…and emerging technologies used in equipment and products are just a few of the challenges fire investigators and litigators face as they examine evidence and determine findings. Having current facts and figures at your fingertips is vital, and only the 2008 NFPA 921 has it all:

• Substantial changes in Chapter 5: Basic Fire Science reflect new research and developments in ignition and combustion principles, along with added technical details and clarified language.
• Rewritten Chapter 6: Fire Patterns clarifies the process investigators should use to identify and recognize fire effects and fire patterns.
• Revised Chapter 25: Motor Vehicle Fires addresses trends in vehicles. For example, this is the first edition of NFPA 921 to discuss electric/hybrid automobiles and their potential for high voltage hazards impacting investigators.
• Rewritten Chapter 27: Management of Complex Investigations (formerly Management of Major Investigations) offers a comprehensive, systems approach for dealing with complex incidents, such as those involving fatalities or injuries...fires in high-rises or building complexes...and fires or explosions in industrial plants or commercial properties.
• A new Chapter 28: Marine Fire Investigations provides first-time coverage of fire and explosion investigations involving recreational boats, including safety issues due to environmental contaminants, and protocols for investigators on boats afloat or underwater.

Only the 2008 NFPA 921 provides the most comprehensive and accurate information for every aspect of a detailed process!

Get the facts required for determining origin and cause, documenting, failure analysis, and collection and handling of evidence. Detailed, step-by-step guidelines help you prepare complete and accurate reports. Actual examples and drawings clarify areas of confusion, so you avoid mistakes. And critical safety protocols address protection of personnel from multiple hazards present at the scene, during evidence collection and storage, at the laboratory, and during live fire testing.

The updated and expanded 2008 NFPA 921 is a "must" for fire service members, insurance professionals, and everyone involved with fire and explosion investigation. (Softbound, 305 pp., 2008)