Re: Hey Jim M. - One Question
If NFPA 921 is not the place to provide guidance to fire investigators, where is such a place.
There was no complaint about the guidance on destruction of physical evidence in sections:
"16.8.3 Storage of Evidence. Physical evidence should be maintained in the best possible condition until it is no longer needed. It should always be protected from loss, contamination, and degradation." and
"16.11 Evidence Disposition.
16.11.1 The fire investigator is often faced with disposing of evidence after an investigation has been completed. The investigator should not destroy or discard evidence unless proper authorization is received. Circumstances may require that evidence be retained for many years..."
You may note that in rejecting John Lentini's and other proposals for the maintaining of notes as evidence, the committee cited section 16.11 as the idea already being in the document. So it appears that the 921 committee has already voted unanymously that notes are evidence.
Pat Kennedy, CFEI, CFPS, MIFireE
Fire and Explosion Analyst
Sarasota, Florida
[
www.kennedy-fire.com]