What is a key responsibility of a fire investigator?

The key responsibility of a fire investigator is to establish the cause and origin of fires. This role is critical in understanding what initiated a fire and how it spread, which can be essential for preventing future incidents. By analyzing evidence, interviewing witnesses, and utilizing scientific methods, fire investigators gather facts that help determine whether a fire was accidental, deliberate, or due to other factors. Their findings can also have legal implications, as they may need to testify in court regarding their conclusions about the fire's cause.

The tasks of handling equipment maintenance, determining budgets, and training new firefighters fall under different roles within the fire service. Equipment maintenance is typically managed by engineers or mechanics, budget decisions are usually made at administrative levels, and training responsibilities are often assigned to designated trainers or senior firefighters. Each of these roles is crucial, but they do not directly address the core function of establishing fire origins, which is the primary focus of a fire investigator.