"Referred to by a federal judge as the "gold standard" for fire investigation, NFPA 921 has done a lot to dispel the myths, misconceptions, and anecdotal teachings of years ago. In the new Chapter 18 on fire cause determination, the 2011 NFPA 921 adds language addressing the inappropirate use of the process of elimination, also known by some as "negative corpus." The Daubert ruling put the onus on the judge to be the gatekeeper of expert testimony, and the scientific method outlined in NFPA 921 establishes acceptable and reliable methodology. The 2011 edition of NFPA 921 continues to raise the bar of professionalism for the fire investigation community. To establish a fire cause that holds up in court, investigators need the <2011 NFPA 921."
Randy Watson, C.F.E.I., C.V.F.I., Atlanta Manager/Senior Fire Investigator
SEA Ltd.,
Atlanta, GA
