The Application and Use of Digital Multimedia Evidence in Fire Investigations

 

James H. Shanley, Jr., PE, CFEI, CFI, MIFireE
Travelers Engineering Laboratory
and
James T. Noll
Travelers Engineering Laboratory

Presented at International Symposium on Fire Investigation, 2014

ABSTRACT

Digital multimedia is created in many forms and with increasing frequency with digital security systems, monitoring cameras, smart phones and other devices. Digital equipment and media obtained from these investigations should be handled in a specific way to preserve its integrity as potential evidence. In addition, Digital Multimedia may contain embedded data that can be clarified or analyzed to increase its value in a fire investigation.

The paper will review best practices with respect to handling digital equipment and multimedia in the context of a fire investigation. It will describe recovery and retrieval techniques and will aid the fire investigator in properly utilizing this growing resource of evidence.

Download the complete paper here