CFEI Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_2cn769
1. Evidence - Tangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Demonstrative
2. Evidence - Docu- Written form; business records, banking, calendars, phone records, fire reports,
mentary etc...
3. Evidence - Testi- Competent live witness speaking under oath; two types; fact and expert
monial
4. Evidence - illus- Photos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are frequently used at trial.
trative
5. Evidence - illus- Photos and Videos; what, why, how, when
travtive
6. Evidence collec- Document in place, document the collection, use proper container, (flag, bag, &
tion tag)
7. Evidence - collec- Fuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter. Find out where tools were refuels.
tion
8. Heat transfer Conduction, convection, radiation
9. Interviews Purpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document the interview
10. Vehicle Fires Sparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent ignition source.
11. Vehicle Fires The most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is an exhaust system
backfire out of a carburetor.
12. Vehicle Fires Carburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
13. Vehicle Fires Two basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted system, and high-pres-
sure, fuel injected system.
, CFEI Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_2cn769
14. Vehicle Fires Loose battery connections; not over-current protected; loose connections can
result in intermittent arcing.
15. Vehicle Fires Power steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition 680-720*F.
16. Vehicle Fires Automatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F, autoignition 626-716*F.
17. Vehicle Fires Overcharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
18. Explosions Low order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid down, virtually intact,
next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
19. Explosions High order damage: shattering of the structure, producing small debris pieces.
20. Explosions Post blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded, unburned the debris
away-no fire.
21. Explosions Dust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of relatively wide dispersal.
22. Explosions Search 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
23. Fire effects/ fire Char shrinks as it forms. More reliable for evaluating fire spread, deduce the
patterns direction based on depth, large shiny blisters (alligatoring) is not evidence of the
use of an accelerant.
24. Fire effects/fire Spalling: loss of surface material due to cracking, breaking, chipping, breakdown
patterns in surface tensile strength, moisture present in the concrete, may appear lighter
in color.
25. Fire effects/fire Crazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
patterns
26. Fire effects/fire Light bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand and bubble out); 25W or less
patterns contain a vacuum and can pull in.
, CFEI Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_2cn769
27. Fire effects/fire Annealing (softening) of springs may provide clues concerning direction, dura-
patterns tion, and intensity.
28. Fire effects/fire Saddle burns - A U-shaped burn pattern found on the top of floor joists, caused by
patterns fire burning down through the floor. Often, a saddle burn is caused by a burning
liquid on the floor or radiant heat from a material close to the floor. Saddle burns
display deep charring.
29. Fire effects/fire Inverted cone burns are indicative of the vertical flame plume not reaching the
patterns ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
30. Fire effects/fire Melting Temperatures: Copper 1981*F; Aluminum 1220*F; Steel 2760*F
patterns
31. Heat Sources Mechanical: converted to heat when two materials rub against each other and
create friction.
Chemical: chemical reaction; exothermic and endothermic.
Electrical: Converted to heat energy; flowing through a conductor.
Nuclear: splitting the nucleus of an atom into two smaller nuclei (nuclear fission)
32. Electrical Resistance Heating: properly installed, produces low resistance.
Loose connections: high resistance with increased heating at the contact.
33. Electrical Ground Fault: the purpose if grounding an electrical system is to make sure that
any housings or exposed metal in the system or connected to it cannot become
electrically charged.
34. Electrical Sleeving: the softening and sagging of thermoplastic conductor insulation due to
the heating of the conductor.
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_2cn769
1. Evidence - Tangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Demonstrative
2. Evidence - Docu- Written form; business records, banking, calendars, phone records, fire reports,
mentary etc...
3. Evidence - Testi- Competent live witness speaking under oath; two types; fact and expert
monial
4. Evidence - illus- Photos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are frequently used at trial.
trative
5. Evidence - illus- Photos and Videos; what, why, how, when
travtive
6. Evidence collec- Document in place, document the collection, use proper container, (flag, bag, &
tion tag)
7. Evidence - collec- Fuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter. Find out where tools were refuels.
tion
8. Heat transfer Conduction, convection, radiation
9. Interviews Purpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document the interview
10. Vehicle Fires Sparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent ignition source.
11. Vehicle Fires The most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is an exhaust system
backfire out of a carburetor.
12. Vehicle Fires Carburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
13. Vehicle Fires Two basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted system, and high-pres-
sure, fuel injected system.
, CFEI Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_2cn769
14. Vehicle Fires Loose battery connections; not over-current protected; loose connections can
result in intermittent arcing.
15. Vehicle Fires Power steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition 680-720*F.
16. Vehicle Fires Automatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F, autoignition 626-716*F.
17. Vehicle Fires Overcharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
18. Explosions Low order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid down, virtually intact,
next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
19. Explosions High order damage: shattering of the structure, producing small debris pieces.
20. Explosions Post blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded, unburned the debris
away-no fire.
21. Explosions Dust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of relatively wide dispersal.
22. Explosions Search 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
23. Fire effects/ fire Char shrinks as it forms. More reliable for evaluating fire spread, deduce the
patterns direction based on depth, large shiny blisters (alligatoring) is not evidence of the
use of an accelerant.
24. Fire effects/fire Spalling: loss of surface material due to cracking, breaking, chipping, breakdown
patterns in surface tensile strength, moisture present in the concrete, may appear lighter
in color.
25. Fire effects/fire Crazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
patterns
26. Fire effects/fire Light bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand and bubble out); 25W or less
patterns contain a vacuum and can pull in.
, CFEI Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_2cn769
27. Fire effects/fire Annealing (softening) of springs may provide clues concerning direction, dura-
patterns tion, and intensity.
28. Fire effects/fire Saddle burns - A U-shaped burn pattern found on the top of floor joists, caused by
patterns fire burning down through the floor. Often, a saddle burn is caused by a burning
liquid on the floor or radiant heat from a material close to the floor. Saddle burns
display deep charring.
29. Fire effects/fire Inverted cone burns are indicative of the vertical flame plume not reaching the
patterns ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
30. Fire effects/fire Melting Temperatures: Copper 1981*F; Aluminum 1220*F; Steel 2760*F
patterns
31. Heat Sources Mechanical: converted to heat when two materials rub against each other and
create friction.
Chemical: chemical reaction; exothermic and endothermic.
Electrical: Converted to heat energy; flowing through a conductor.
Nuclear: splitting the nucleus of an atom into two smaller nuclei (nuclear fission)
32. Electrical Resistance Heating: properly installed, produces low resistance.
Loose connections: high resistance with increased heating at the contact.
33. Electrical Ground Fault: the purpose if grounding an electrical system is to make sure that
any housings or exposed metal in the system or connected to it cannot become
electrically charged.
34. Electrical Sleeving: the softening and sagging of thermoplastic conductor insulation due to
the heating of the conductor.
