Scene_Preservation.pdf

Policy 321 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Scene Preservation - 1 Scene Preservation 321.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to provide department memb...

Policy 321 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Scene Preservation - 1 Scene Preservation 321.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to provide department members with guidance on performing emergency mitigation tasks when working in and around scenes where evidence may be present. Members of the Department are often confronted with opposing priorities when performing duties at scenes containing potential evidence. They must balance the need to provide timely and effective life-saving and property-preserving services while minimizing the disturbance of any items of evidentiary value. 321.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: Evidence - Any item or arrangement of items that may provide relevant information to an investigation. Scene - Any location where items of evidentiary value may be found. A scene need not be the location where a criminal act occurred; it need only be a location where items of evidentiary value are available for collection or documentation. 321.2 POLICY It is the policy of the Chesapeake Fire Department to minimize the disturbance of conditions and evidentiary items when providing emergency mitigation services in and around scenes. 321.3 SCENE IDENTIFICATION Department members must be mindful of encountering potential evidence at a scene whenever they respond to calls for service. The potential for evidence at a scene may be identified in a number of ways, including, but not limited to: (a) The location of any incident that involves a physical assault or results from an act of violence. Such a location should be assumed to be a crime scene. Examples include shooting incidents, stabbing incidents, any incident involving a medical patient injured by the act of another person, suicides, bomb incidents or any act of terrorism. (b) Any incident that law enforcement personnel have identified as a crime scene and have notified department members of that determination. (c) Any unattended death scene. (d) All fire incidents. (e) Any incident where department members believe or have a reasonable suspicion that a crime has taken place. The type of suspected criminal activity may be severe, as in the case of a robbery or burglary, or less severe, as in the case of vandalism. (f) Transportation incidents, including traffic accidents and rail, aircraft, shipping and boating incidents. Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Scene Preservation Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Scene Preservation - 2 (g) Industrial accidents. 321.4 ENTERING SCENES When department members determine that a scene containing potential evidence is involved, they should promptly evaluate the need to enter the scene prior to approval of investigators. For the purposes of department members, scenes may be categorized into two distinct types: stable or unstable. 321.4.1 STABLE SCENE A stable scene exists when there is no apparent immediate or ongoing threat to the safety, health or well-being of department members, the public or property. Examples of stable scenes include incidents where the victim or victims are obviously deceased, incidents involving obviously failed incendiary devices and fire incidents where the fire is clearly extinguished prior to the arrival of department members. When department members encounter a stable scene and it is apparent that no threat to safety or property exists, they should remain outside the scene until cleared to enter by the appropriate investigator or law enforcement personnel. If there is a confirmed or suspected threat to life or public safety, department members should take whatever actions reasonably appear necessary to stabilize the scene and then withdraw pending approval from investigators or law enforcement personnel to re-enter. 321.4.2 UNSTABLE SCENE An unstable scene exists whenever there appears to be an ongoing or imminent threat to the health, safety or well-being of department members, the public or property that necessitates immediate mitigation. Examples of unstable scenes include incidents involving injured or entrapped persons, active fire or a threat of imminent fire, imminent structural collapse endangering lives, the release or imminent threat of the release of hazardous materials or any incident where immediate mitigation is required to preserve life. When department members encounter an unstable scene they are authorized to take appropriate corrective action to mitigate the threat. 321.4.3 CRIME SCENE If it is determined that the victim is exhibiting signs of life, the Police Officer(s) protecting the crime scene shall ensure that the responding members are able to perform their life saving function without interference. 321.5 PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE AT CRIME SCENES Whenever practicable, department members should avoid touching, moving, manipulating or otherwise altering anything located at a scene where the potential for evidence exists. In some circumstances, the need to move items may be unavoidable. In those instances, department members should note what items were moved, who moved them and the location from which they were moved. Members should not attempt to move displaced items back to their original location; Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Scene Preservation Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Scene Preservation - 3 rather, the items should be left in the place to which they were moved. The appropriate investigator or law enforcement personnel should be informed of any items that were moved and the location where the items originally were found. In instances where an obvious item of evidence must be moved, an investigator or law enforcement representative should be consulted prior to moving the item, if practicable. For example, if a weapon is located beside or underneath a victim and an investigator is available, the investigator should be called to relocate the weapon. Life-preserving care should not be unreasonably delayed awaiting the arrival of an investigator or law enforcement personnel to move items of evidence. 321.5.1 ASSESSMENT OF DEATH In those situations when death appears to be obvious, indicated by severe mutilation, rigor mortis, putrefaction, post mortem lividity, etc., the Police Officer(s) shall permit one responding member to check the victim for possible signs of life. Other members will be permitted to wait nearby with other life support equipment to provide assistance if it is determined that the victim is exhibiting signs of life. 321.6 MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND DEBRIS When department members provide medical care in or around a scene where evidence may be located, any discarded medical material, wrapping material, used bandaging, containers or other debris should be left at the scene when the crews depart. Reusable tools, medical equipment and other durable supplies may be collected but care should be taken by department members to minimize any disturbance to other items or material at the scene. Hazardous items and other material, such as medical sharps, controlled substances or surplus medications, should be collected and handled appropriately. If investigators or law enforcement personnel direct that any hazardous materials be left in place, department members should clearly identify all such materials to the controlling authority at the scene. 321.6.1 NOT CONSIDERED EVIDENCE After medical care and/or transport of patients, the last unit to leave the scene will conduct a survey to determine if all equipment, supplies, packaging and potential biohazards have been recovered. Members involved in Scene Housekeeping shall use at least the minimum appropriate PPE for the circumstances. (a) If equipment and/or materials become contaminated by a hazardous substance and/ or an IDLH environment develops, for which the correct PPE is unavailable, items shall be left in place and the scene secured until they can be retrieved safely. (b) When an item is left at a scene unintentionally, immediate efforts will be made to contact the responsible party or property owner and arrange a timely recovery of the items or equipment. (c) If EMS equipment or supplies are left at the scene, intentionally or unintentionally, the station officer and Field Medical Officer are to be notified immediately or upon discovery that the item is missing. Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Scene Preservation Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Scene Preservation - 4 If the scene encompasses a public space such as a sidewalk, street or public venue all potential biohazards including bodily fluids/tissues will be removed using any effective gross decontamination technique to assure that residual materials are no longer a public threat. Sharps and contaminated materials will be removed and secured in approved containers, and taken from the scene for appropriate disposal. 321.7 RELEASE OF PROPERTY When the Incident Commander or the Fire Investigator determines the structure or area involved in an incident can be returned to the control of a responsible party, the following procedures shall be followed: (a) The fire scene shall be inspected to ensure that all department equipment not required for safety or protection has been removed. (b) All equipment and materials left shall be inspected to ensure any potential hazards are minimized. (c) Appropriate markings shall be provided to identify hazards. Materials such as streamers on rope or plastic fire line tape should be used. (d) Should a structure, in the opinion of the Incident Commander, be a safety hazard. The IC shall request “Chesapeake” to notify the Building Code Official (on duty Building Inspector and on duty Fire (e) Inspector) to respond and post an “Unsafe Structure Notice.” (f) Prior to the release of the structure or area, the individual receiving control shall be briefed on all known safety hazards and this person’s name, address and phone number included in the fire incident report.