CFEI Study Guide with correct answers
graded A+
Evidence - Demonstrative - correct answer ✔✔Tangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Evidence - Documentary - correct answer ✔✔Written form; business records, banking, calendars, phone
records, fire reports, etc...
Evidence - Testimonial - correct answer ✔✔Competent live witness speaking under oath; two types; fact
and expert
Evidence - illustrative - correct answer ✔✔Photos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are frequently used
at trial.
Evidence - illustravtive - correct answer ✔✔Photos and Videos; what, why, how, when
Evidence collection - correct answer ✔✔Document in place, document the collection, use proper
container, (flag, bag, & tag)
Evidence - collection - correct answer ✔✔Fuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter. Find out where
tools were refuels.
Heat transfer - correct answer ✔✔Conduction, convection, radiation
Interviews - correct answer ✔✔Purpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document the
interview
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Sparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent ignition source.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔The most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is an exhaust
system backfire out of a carburetor.
,Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Carburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Two basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted system, and
high-pressure, fuel injected system.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Loose battery connections; not over-current protected; loose
connections can result in intermittent arcing.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Power steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition 680-720*F.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Automatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F, autoignition 626-
716*F.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Overcharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Low order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid down,
virtually intact, next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔High order damage: shattering of the structure, producing small debris
pieces.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Post blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded, unburned the
debris away-no fire.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Dust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of relatively wide
dispersal.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Search 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
, Fire effects/ fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Char shrinks as it forms. More reliable for evaluating fire
spread, deduce the direction based on depth, large shiny blisters (alligatoring) is not evidence of the use
of an accelerant.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Spalling: loss of surface material due to cracking, breaking,
chipping, breakdown in surface tensile strength, moisture present in the concrete, may appear lighter in
color.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Crazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Light bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand and bubble
out); 25W or less contain a vacuum and can pull in.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Annealing (softening) of springs may provide clues
concerning direction, duration, and intensity.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Saddle burns - A U-shaped burn pattern found on the top
of floor joists, caused by 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.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Inverted cone burns are indicative of the vertical flame
plume not reaching the ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Melting Temperatures: Copper 1981*F; Aluminum 1220*F;
Steel 2760*F
Heat Sources - correct answer ✔✔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.
graded A+
Evidence - Demonstrative - correct answer ✔✔Tangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Evidence - Documentary - correct answer ✔✔Written form; business records, banking, calendars, phone
records, fire reports, etc...
Evidence - Testimonial - correct answer ✔✔Competent live witness speaking under oath; two types; fact
and expert
Evidence - illustrative - correct answer ✔✔Photos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are frequently used
at trial.
Evidence - illustravtive - correct answer ✔✔Photos and Videos; what, why, how, when
Evidence collection - correct answer ✔✔Document in place, document the collection, use proper
container, (flag, bag, & tag)
Evidence - collection - correct answer ✔✔Fuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter. Find out where
tools were refuels.
Heat transfer - correct answer ✔✔Conduction, convection, radiation
Interviews - correct answer ✔✔Purpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document the
interview
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Sparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent ignition source.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔The most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is an exhaust
system backfire out of a carburetor.
,Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Carburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Two basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted system, and
high-pressure, fuel injected system.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Loose battery connections; not over-current protected; loose
connections can result in intermittent arcing.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Power steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition 680-720*F.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Automatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F, autoignition 626-
716*F.
Vehicle Fires - correct answer ✔✔Overcharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Low order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid down,
virtually intact, next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔High order damage: shattering of the structure, producing small debris
pieces.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Post blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded, unburned the
debris away-no fire.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Dust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of relatively wide
dispersal.
Explosions - correct answer ✔✔Search 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
, Fire effects/ fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Char shrinks as it forms. More reliable for evaluating fire
spread, deduce the direction based on depth, large shiny blisters (alligatoring) is not evidence of the use
of an accelerant.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Spalling: loss of surface material due to cracking, breaking,
chipping, breakdown in surface tensile strength, moisture present in the concrete, may appear lighter in
color.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Crazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Light bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand and bubble
out); 25W or less contain a vacuum and can pull in.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Annealing (softening) of springs may provide clues
concerning direction, duration, and intensity.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Saddle burns - A U-shaped burn pattern found on the top
of floor joists, caused by 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.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Inverted cone burns are indicative of the vertical flame
plume not reaching the ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answer ✔✔Melting Temperatures: Copper 1981*F; Aluminum 1220*F;
Steel 2760*F
Heat Sources - correct answer ✔✔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.
