Survey Results- June 2001

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 Area NAFI Mem CFEI NFPA 921 has made my day-to-day- work … I use NFPA 921 … I agree with NFPA 921... I contributed proposals or comments to NFPA 921 I encounter NFPA  921 in the courtroom… As a Training Tool, NFPA 921 is … I believe overall acceptance of NFPA 921 is ... Overall I rate NFPA 921 as a __ (out of ten) The most Useful Part of 921 is … The Least Useful part is… The Topic I would like to see added is…
1 WV Yes Yes Didn't Change It Every Day About 50/50 Never Frequently Better Than Most 60-69% 8 Fire Behavior/Dynamics Electrical Failure Negative Corpus
2 FL Yes Yes Didn't Change it Once a Month Almost Completely Never Frequently Better than Most 80-89% 8 Layout!!! All Topics are Useful More in depth info about fire behavior
3 CO No No Easier Every Day Completely Never Every time The Best 90-100% 9 All very useful It has to be used None that I can think of
4 VA Yes Yes Easier Once a month Almost Completely Never Frequently Better than Most 90-100% 9 The Electrical Section There needs to be more information on fire and smoke patterns for newer investigators Fire and smoke patterns.  More information on complex arson investigations.  More information to standardize fire/arson investigation reports.
5 NJ Yes Yes Didn't Change it Once a week About 50/50 Never Rarely Adequate 70-79% 5 It gives good guidelines for conducting a scene examination properly and in the same method each and every time. I don't agree with a lot of the conclusion in the book due to the results being drawn from testing.  No fire scene can be a controlled test area. no real opinion
6 AL Yes No Easier Once a month Almost Completely Never Don't Know Better than Most 90-100% 9 Covers a broad spectrum have not seen the 2001 edition but the 1998 needed to be updated. More detail on lightning damage and what causes it to do certain damage to houses.
7 NJ No No Didn't Change it Once a month About 50/50 Never Rarely Adequate 80-89% 8 information for insurance persons to use to know what the experts we retain should have knowledge and experience with. That it is a "guide" that has been transformed into a "standard" and it seems that experience in the field of fire investigation is taking a back seat More information about how insurance adjusters can help and provide info to the fire investigator, cause and origin expert…
8 RI Yes Yes Easier Every Day Completely Never Every time Better than Most 70-79% 7 The detail The numbering system Constitutional amendment impact on investigations
9 VT No No Easier Every Day Completely Never Don't Know The Best 90-100% 9 The stories nothing what arson investigation is
10 TX No No Easier Every Day Completely Never Frequently The Best 80-89% 9 Chapters 9,11,12,13,14,15,17,18 Basically al the first few chapters only because I am familiar with them.  However, the information contained within them are excellent. I am personally happy with the way it is written. At this time, I can't think of anything to be added or make 921 better.
11 Can Yes Yes Didn't Change it Only when forced Almost Completely One time Rarely The Best 90-100% 8 The ability to use it as a guide to complete an investigation. When I have used it, I have never found a least useful part. The guide on electrical investigations, to be used as a "non-electrical investigator"
12 anon No No Easier Every Day Almost Completely Never Don't Know Adequate 70-79% 0 That it refers to itself as a guide and only a guide and that it is a living document Any attempt to make it a standard [vulgar entry deleted]
13 KY Yes Yes Didn't Change It Once a Week Almost Completely Never Don't Know Better Than Most 70-79% 9 Its Organization.  It is fairly easy to find information when you need it The reference section … limited A comprehensive list of peer reviewed references that may be used by investigators
14 NC Yes No Didn't Change It Once a Month Almost Completely Never Never Better Than Most 90-100% 8 For the training of new fire investigators, Chapter three and Chapter four are the most helpful. Chapter 14 if I have to choose a section that is least useful. I would like to see an improvement in the Motor Vehicle Fire investigation section
15 CO Yes No Easier Every Day Almost Completely Never Rarely The Best 80-89% 10 Covers some items I don't see everyday and answers my technical questions. I wish it were available on CD more wildfire stuff
16 ON Yes Yes Didn't Change It Every Day Almost Completely Never Rarely Better Than Most 80-89% 8 it has identified itself as a guide not as the authority in fire investigation, this has relieved the courtroom burden in that lawyers now cannot get as hung up if the book is not followed totally. wildland fire investigation.  There is no substance in this chapter only an unending list of things to be aware of.  It does not contain any info on actual signs such as pointer patterns to look for a real wildland fire investigation
17 KY Yes Yes Easier Once a Month Almost Completely Never Rarely The Best 90-100% 10 It is a recognized standard that will hopefully promote a uniformed approach to fire investigations both in law enforcement and private sectors There are no "least useful" parts of the document.  Each, despite some controversy in particular chapters, are very useful and should be embraced by every fire investigator. Always would like to see more topics concerning electricity and how it relates to fire
18 WA Yes Yes Harder Every Day Almost Completely Never Frequently Better Than Most 80-89% 8 Systematic methodology, origin and cause I really don't think there is a least useful part of 921 More on computer modeling
19 NC Yes No Easier Once a week Almost Completely Never Never Better Than Most 50-59% 7 The logical flow of information as it is presented Too lengthy A discussion of 921 and the national impact or effects on courtroom testimony
20 CO No No Didn't Change It Once a Month About 50/50 Never Never Adequate 90-100% 9 The systematic approach (scientific method) it provides a "guideline" and not a required script one must follow. Chapter 15, motor vehicle fires More info regarding motor vehicle fires
21 LA Yes No Didn't Change It Once a Month Almost Completely Never Rarely Better Than Most 80-89% 7 To use as a reference Can be too detailed or restrictive in some areas K-9 use
22 TN Yes Yes Easier Every Day Almost Completely Never Never The Best 90-100% 8 As a guide for fire and explosion investigation it is very helpful and if there is going to be any chance of an investigator going to give expert testimony it should be followed page to page n/r Explosion Investigation
23 CT     Easier Once a Month Almost Completely Never Don't Know Adequate 80-89% 7 it organizes the information in a very easy to follow manner n/r more on origin and cause report writing
24 FL Yes No Easier Once a month Completely Never Never Better than Most 90-100% 9 The whole guide is useful.  The power of this guide is in the fact that is a guide and everything is included in a very neatly organized way n/r More information concerning the detection and analysis of fire debris.  By knowing the fire debris analysis basics, fire investigators will improve the collection at the scene.
25 FL No No Easier Once a Month Almost Completely Never Don't Know Better than Most 60-69% 8 It is a decent guideline for the beginner Used as a counter tool by ignorant Counselors n/r
26 AZ Yes Yes Didn't Change it Once a month Completely Never Never Adequate 80-89% 8 The experience behind the document It is not digital or on a CD for quick references. At least not that I am Aware of. n/r
27 TN Yes No Easier Once a week Almost Completely Never Every time The worst 90-100% 6 Simplified format Repetitive portions n/r
28 WA No No Easier Once a week Completely Never Frequently The Best 90-100% 9 Serves as a guide and a reference that leads to more detailed on-scene investigation work All of it is helpful n/r
29 TX Yes Yes Harder Only when forced About 50/50 Never Never Adequate 40-49% 5 The way it is laid out that everyone thinks it is the only way to do things n/r
30 LA Yes Yes Easier Every Day Almost Completely Never Frequently The Best 80-89% 8 The teaching of the basics for fire investigation and pattern recognition The are none n/r
31 FL Yes Yes Didn't Change It Once a week Completely Never Never Adequate 90-100% 10 Chapter 4 Chapter 22 n/r
32 CO Yes Yes Didn't Change it Every Day Almost Completely Never Frequently Better than Most 90-100% 9 entire manual is a good resource n/r n/r
33 VA No No Didn't Change it Once a week Almost Completely Never Frequently Adequate 80-89% 8 Resource information n/r n/r
34 TX No No Don't Know Once a week About 50/50 Never Frequently Adequate 90-100% 5 that it gives me a peer reviewed methodology that can be useful under challenge n/r n/r
35 AZ Yes Yes Easier Once a Month Almost Completely Never Don't Know The Best 80-89% 8 establishes a basis for investigations.  It should be one of several guideline publications, used not as a stand alone 'bible" n/r n/r
36 TN Yes Yes Easier Every Day Almost Completely Never Frequently Better Than Most 80-89 8 Use of it as a guide on losses n/r n/r
37 VA Yes Yes Easier Once a Month Almost Completely Never Frequently Better Than Most 90-100% 10 Fire pattern analysis, electrical n/r n/r
38 OH Yes Yes Easier Every Day Almost Completely Never Every time The Best 90-100% 6 The specific detail that it goes into n/r n/r