Presenter: Michael Keller, ATF Fire Research Laboratory

In recent years, arc fault mapping has become a very popular tool for identifying a fire’s area of origin. The ability to arc map a scene, however, can be very limited and is not always practical. Also, often times local code officials and fire marshals are requested to assist in fire investigations with minimal training on how facility electrical systems respond when impacted by fire. This discussion is intended to provide these personnel with a methodology and basic skills to thoroughly document the electrical infrastructure and components of a facility and assist in identifying how the building responded to the fire. This information can then be used with the remainder of the data obtained from the scene to help identify an area of origin and improve the arc mapping process when applicable. The discussion will also attempt to alleviate some of the myths of how a building’s electrical system responds to a fire.