Deck 16: Arson Bombs and Explosives

Question 1

The purpose of the law enforcement officer in an arson investigation is to:

A)support the fire officer with the investigation.
B)provide protection to the fire officer.
C)assist with the criminal investigation.
D)work cooperatively to handle the criminal investigation.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

If a person dies in a fire set by an arsonist, the death is:

A)involuntary manslaughter.
B)voluntary manslaughter.
C)second-degree murder.
D)first-degree murder.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Fires are classified as all EXCEPT which of the following?

A)natural
B)incendiary
C)of unknown origin
D)technological

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Female arsonists usually burn:

A)the property of strangers.
B)the property of someone known to them.
C)their own property.
D)another female's property.

Question 5

If a bomb is found, the most important rule in handling the suspect package is:

A)to get the package submerged in water as quickly as possible.
B)to wear bomb-proof gloves when removing the package from the scene.
C)not to touch the package.
D)to have at least three officers surround the package.

Question 6

The majority of automobile fires are:

A)accidental.
B)arson.
C)natural.
D)of undetermined cause.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is true?

A)More than one point of origin indicates arson.
B)Fires normally burn outward.
C)The point of origin is established by finding the area with the lowest char.
D)Fires are drawn toward ventilation but do not follow fuel paths.

Question 8

Crazing is:

A)the checking of charred wood.
B)irregular cracks in glass from heat.
C)how deeply the wood is burned.
D)burnt glass.

Question 9

Private insurance investigators:

A)interfere with fire investigations and should be kept away.
B)are supportive but not helpful.
C)can assist fire and police efforts in investigating fire losses.
D)can offer bounties on arsonists.

Question 10

The fire triangle consists of which of the following three elements?

A)oxygen, fire, and heat
B)fuel, heat, and ignition
C)wood, warmth, and fire
D)air, fuel, and heat

Question 11

Which of the following agencies or groups is among the common partners in an arson investigation?

A)civilians
B)NCJ
C)AIT
D)insurance companies

Question 12

Which of the following is one of the five classes of explosive incidents in the United States?

A)fireworks accidents
B)emotionally disturbed persons
C)revenge
D)residential explosives

Question 13

The rainbow effect results from which of the following?

A)alcohol
B)vegetable compounds
C)sulfur or nitric acid
D)oil and gasoline

Question 14

A path of flammable liquid in which a fire will follow is known as a:

A)point of origin.
B)map.
C)trailer.
D)jump.

Question 15

What resource has become increasingly useful in bomb detection and in searches for evidence following explosions and has been in constant demand since 9/11?

A)field deployable electronic sensors
B)K-9s
C)electronic "sniffers"
D)robots

Question 16

Preparing to burn a building without actually doing so is ____ arson.

A)aggravated
B)second-degree
C)simple
D)attempted

Question 17

The appearance of alligatoring at a fire scene:

A)has no investigative significance.
B)is the formation of irregular cracks in glass due to heat.
C)is the charring of just the surface of wood.
D)is a sure sign of arson.

Question 18

Catalytic combustion detectors are:

A)the most common type of flammable vapor detector used by arson investigators.
B)recently developed instruments for detecting the presence of an explosive bomb.
C)a remote-controlled instrument for approaching and analyzing unknown explosive devices.
D)a device that can be repurposed by technologically-sophisticated arsonists to start fires.

Question 19

Arson is a:

A)Part One Index crime.
B)Part Two Index crime.
C)Part Three Index crime.
D)misdemeanor.

Question 20

Which is one of the fire department's basic roles?

A)fire investigation
B)identifying the arsonist
C)arson investigation
D)arson prosecution

Question 21

The most commonly used flammable liquid igniter is kerosene.

Question 22

A sniffer is a detection device that:

A)uses air temperature and the presence of off-gassing to determine whether a scene is safe to enter.
B)takes a sample of air and identifies the approximate quantities of explosive material in the sample.
C)takes a sample of air and identifies the quality of the smoke and what type of igniter was used to set the fire.
D)uses gun powder to fire a jet of water or a projectile at a particular component of an explosive to make it safe.

Question 23

Which of the following is part of the initial procedure that officers should take when responding to an explosion?

A)Ensure that a search for perpetrator has been conducted.
B)Establish procedures to document personnel entering and exiting the scene.
C)Ensure that the scene has been protected.
D)Ensure that a search warrant has been procured in order to search the scene.

Question 24

Evidence of accelerants is a primary form of physical evidence at an arson scene.

Question 25

Strikers start fires because of an irresistible urge or passion for fire.

Question 26

The basic difference between aggravated and simple arson is that aggravated arson involves malicious intent.

Question 27

Among children, fireplay almost always involves malice and the intent to harm.

Question 28

The ATF is responsible for alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosive investigations.

Question 29

Juveniles have a higher rate of involvement in arson crimes than any other Index crime.

Question 30

Matches, candles, lighters, or chemical devices can all be used as accelerants.

Question 31

A fire caused by faulty wiring is classified as a natural fire.

Question 32

Arson is only a crime against property.

Question 33

Arson investigations are usually joint investigations involving both law enforcement and fire officers.

Question 34

A disrupter is:

A)another term used to describe an arsonist.
B)someone who accidentally disturbs the scene of an arson fire.
C)a device that fires a jet of water into an explosive to make it safe.
D)a common type of igniter used to start fires.

Question 35

Arson has the highest clearance rate by arrest of all Index crimes.

Question 36

Male arsonists usually burn their own property rather than that of others.

Question 37

Pipe bombs, nail bombs, and other bombs disguised to escape detection are referred to as:

A)local explosive devices (LEDs).
B)disguised explosive devices (DEDs).
C)improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
D)dangerous explosive devices (DEDs).

Question 38

Fire marshals have extralegal powers to summon witnesses, subpoena records, and take statements under oath that police officers do not have.

Question 39

The homemade explosive that Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber," carried aboard American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami in 2001 was made from:

A)dynamite.
B)triacetone triperoxide (TATP).
C)C-4 military explosive.
D)2-methyloctane.

Question 40

It is easy to determine whether the victim is a suspect in arson cases.

Question 41

The burning of one's own property is almost always to .

Question 42

Summarize the Model Arson Law.

Question 43

_______________ cocktails are a type of explosive device.

Question 44

The presence of large shiny blisters (alligator char) occurs when a fire spreads rapidly or burns with great intensity and is evidence that a liquid accelerant was present during the fire.

Question 45

Burning of buildings other than dwellings is arson under the Model Arson Law.

Question 46

Describe three special challenges to arson investigation.

Question 47

When responding to a fire scene, what should an officer observe, note, and record?

Question 48

The breaking off of surface pieces of concrete or brick due to intense heat is referred to as .

Question 49

Accelerants at the scene can be identified by olfactory detection, or sense of .

Question 50

Arson fires usually show the same burn patterns as regular fires.

Question 51

A(n) warrant is issued when it is necessary for a government agent to search a property to determine a fire's cause and origin.

Question 52

In arson cases, _______________ is the prime element in the corpus delicti.

Question 53

When limited air for combustion is available, in a fireplace or stove may be only partially burned, and may, when examined, provide a motive for arson.

Question 54

The most common and accurate types of flammable vapor detectors used by arson investigators are
_______________ combustion detectors.

Question 55

What is a striker?

Question 56

Outline the elements of the crime of arson.

Question 57

A fire in which there is no evidence to indicate whether the fire was natural, accidental, or incendiary is classified as a fire of _______________.

Question 58

Knowing the fire's point of origin is of the utmost importance to an arson investigator.

Question 59

The National Counterterrorism Center has developed detailed bomb threat instructions to be kept near telephones where such a threat might be received.

Question 60

A rapid, intensely hot fire results in small, flat alligatoring.

Question 61

How should an officer investigate a vehicle fire?

Question 62

When investigating a case of arson, how does an officer uncover the burning pattern?

Question 63

Why would an investigator use a K-9 in an arson investigation?

Question 64

Describe the two-step warrant process that is required by the U.S.Supreme Court for investigating fires involving crimes.

Question 65

List the common motives for arson and explain how they help investigators locate suspects.

Question 66

Explain the concept of the fire triangle.

Question 67

Describe the difference between accelerants and igniters, and give three examples of each.

Question 68

Why would an arson investigator interview a firefighter as part of the arson investigation?

Question 69

Describe how to find the point of origin in a fire and what it can reveal to the investigator.

Question 70

Describe some of the recent technological innovations in bomb detection.

Question 71

Why is it important to photograph and videotape an arson fire?