Data Collection of Incidents in Dense Urban Areas
Publication: Forensic Engineering 2022
ABSTRACT
A systematic and proper data collection for a forensic investigation requires a clear description of the debris field and an inventory of the material at the site. In many collapse cases fatalities may result. The efforts to extricate the victims or recover the bodies disturb the debris field. Stabilization of affected buildings needs to occur immediately. By the time the forensic engineer is called to investigate, data may be somewhat compromised by the immediate incident response. Especially when occurring in densely built areas, building collapses or large construction accidents require safety zones that include street closings and vacating of buildings that impact the life of the inhabitants in major ways. When these last, there is an extraordinary pressure from the community to accelerate the investigation. Forensic standards of care mention risks to investigators, but do not discuss possible involuntary spoliation due to the immediate response and time pressures. The paper presents several cases drawn from the author’s experience, where the need to attend to the needs of the inhabitants and expedite site work, created difficulties in data collection (WTC, building, and crane collapses). In some cases, there might have been failures to recover potentially significant elements. The paper is intended to start a discussion on improving the integration of the data collection function in the Incident Command System developed by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).
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Forensic Engineering 2022
Pages: 527 - 536
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Published online: Nov 2, 2022
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