INV6 – Fire protection and arson investigation

Module 1

Lesson 1: Introduction to Fire protection and arson

investigation
Instructor: MERVIC M. PARIÑAS, PhD

Overview

This module presents the discussions on the overview of Fire Technology

and Arson Investigation
Lesson 1

Fire Technology and Arson Investigation

Introduction:

The development of methods and tools for using and controlling fire was critical
in human and evolution and is believed to have allowed early humans to spread
northward from the warm climate of either origin into the more severe environment of
Europe and Asia. The evidence of early fire use in often ambiguous because of the
difficulty in determining whether archaeological evidence is the result of accident fire or
its deliberate use. Such evidence include finds of occupation sites with fired or baked
soils bones or stones that have been changed through the application of heat, and
areas containing thick layers of ash and charcoal that night have hearth structures.

The earliest finds, in Kenya and Ethiopia date from about 1.5 million years ago.
Less equivocal evidence exists for deliberate fire use in the Palaeolithic period,
beginning about 500,000 years ago. Neolithic sites have yielded objects that may have
been used in fire, making drill for producing friction, heat in wood and flints for striking
sparks from iron pyrites.

In legend/mythology.

 In Persian literature was discovered during a fight of a hero with a dragon. A

stone that the hero used as a weapon missed the monster and struck a
rock. Light shone forth and human beings saw fire for the first time.

 In Greek mythology, Prometheus was bestowed with god like powers when
he stole the god’s fire to give it to humanity. Fire has also played a central role
in religion.

 It has been used as a god and recognized as a symbol of home and family
in many cultures.

 Fire has also been a symbol of purification and of immortality and renewal,
hence the lighting of flames of remembrance.
  The Temple of Vesta in Rome was outstanding example of the importance of
fire to the Romans Vesta was originally the goddess of the fire and her shrine
was in every home.

We can only guess that pre-historic people may have gained knowledge of fire
from observing things in nature. So the origin of fire before the dawn of civilization may
be traced to an erupting volcano, or a forest fire, started by lighting. No one really knows
where on the earth surface or at what stage of early history man learned how to start a
fire and how to make use of it.

Today, man has had fire as:

 Source of warmth and light

 Protection against enemies
 Cause chemical changes to foodstuffs to suit man’s body structure
 Provides processes for modifying chemicals into medicines
 Provides heat to convert wood, metals and bones into domestic tools
or instruments for aggression

While the application of fire has served man’s needs its careless and wanton use exact
an enormous and dreadful toll from society in life and property. Hence, man’s
understanding of fire would enable him to develop the technology of prevention and
control to a considerable advance state (Abis).

Important personalities in Fire Technology

 John Walker – He was the British Chemist who invented the first match in
1827. The tip of the match was coated a mixture of antimony sulfide and
potassium chlorate that was held on the wooden matchstick.

 Antoine Lavoisier – a French Chemist who in 1777 that burning is the result of
rapid union of Oxygen with another substances. As substances burn, heat
and light are produced.

 Thomas Alva Edison – An American inventor who was able to send an electric
current through carbon filament (Wire) until the filament is so hot and gave off
light.

WHAT IS FIRE?

Fire is the manifestation of rapid chemical reaction occurring between fuel and an
oxidizer-typically the oxygen in the air. Such rapid chemical reaction releases energy in
the form of heat and light (Encarta).

Flame is the visible portion of Fire.

Fire is heat and light resulting from the rapid combination of oxygen, or in some
cases gaseous chlorine, with other materials. The light is in the form of a flame, which is
composed of glowing particles of the burning materials and certain gaseous products
that are luminous at the temperature of the burning material.
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