Peer Review

Investigating Confined Structure Fires

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Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This report defines what a confined structure fire is and provides a summary of the characteristics of small fires that occur in structures that are contained or confined as recorded in the U.S. Fire Administrations (USFAs) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).
Type of Material:: Reference Material
Recommended Uses:: A reference source for compiling a term paper or additional material for Fire Investigation students. Could be used as a supplemental reading homework assignment.
Technical Requirements:: Internet browser, Adobe Acrobat Reader
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Confined structure fires are small fire incidents that are limited in scope, are confined to noncombustible containers, rarely result in serious injury or large content losses, and are expected to have no accompanying property losses due to flame damage. This type fire is often not part of a student's learning experience where there is a tendency to focus on the more spectacular and damaging fires.
Target Student Population:: Fire Investigation Students
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: none

Rating:
Strengths:: Report is well written and completely and concisely delivers a large amount of information.
Concerns:: The report is limited to the year 2002 for statistics. No additional years of information to see any sort of trending.

Rating:
Strengths:: This report identifies key areas where data collection methods need to be improved. It also talks about using this data to help improve smoke detector efficiency.
Concerns:: This report is not designed to be a stand-alone subject. It may be included in a Fire Investigation class as supplemental material, or a possible homework assignment. It is a "typical government report" and is not written for college student audience. It may be a bit "dumbed down" because it is intended to communicate with a lay audience.

Rating:
Strengths:: The report is well laid out and easy to read. Each concept presented builds on the previous concept.
Concerns:: May be better printed and read rather than read on a screen.

Other Issues and Comments:: Lacks depth of detail and may not capture the interest of freshmen students. As a reference for reports and assignments it may need to be linked to trending data. Does not stand alone well.
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