Unit 14: Responding to Emergency Service Incidents.
Assignment 3: Scene Preservation.
P5: Describe the necessity for scene preservation units at emergency incidents as part of an incident
investigation.
All incident scenes are regarded as possible crime scenes and so they should be treated as such.
Scene preservation is therefore a vital part of an emergency response. Due to the fact that the main
role of each of the emergency services is to save lives and protect casualties, it is often a near
impossible task for personnel to preserve the scene at major incidents as their initial response is to
treat casualties. Naturally, rescuing and treating casualties, establishing control posts and taking
measures to prevent further escalation of the incident will disturb the site of the incident.
As a result, the scene needs to be protected as best as possible.
Why does the scene need to be preserved?
The main reason that a scene needs to be preserved is because evidence from the scene is a vital
part of any investigation in order to find and convict the individual responsible.
Evidence can be gathered from a scene in a number of ways:
Photographs.
Videos.
Forensics.
Witness Statements.
Photography.
The nature of certain incidents can make it difficult to preserve and produce evidence, for example,
brake marks, damaged rail carriages, as well as damage to vehicles. In these circumstances, it is
acceptable to use photographic evidence in court, but it must be provided by an authorised Scene of
Crime Forensic Photographer, who will also make a statement explaining what the evidence is.
Videography.
In particular incidents, photographs may not be enough to prove liability, for example, in a case of
dangerous driving a video would be better to show as evidence.
All Police cars have video equipment fitted in order to record such offences.
Forensics.
Forensic scientists often play a key part in criminal investigations of serious incidents. These
individuals have the knowledge to examine scenes of crime by applying certain principles in the
gathering, securing and analysing of evidence. Forensic evidence includes:
Fingerprints.
Fibres.
Body Fluids.
Hair.
Glass Samples.
Witness Testimony.
Assignment 3: Scene Preservation.
P5: Describe the necessity for scene preservation units at emergency incidents as part of an incident
investigation.
All incident scenes are regarded as possible crime scenes and so they should be treated as such.
Scene preservation is therefore a vital part of an emergency response. Due to the fact that the main
role of each of the emergency services is to save lives and protect casualties, it is often a near
impossible task for personnel to preserve the scene at major incidents as their initial response is to
treat casualties. Naturally, rescuing and treating casualties, establishing control posts and taking
measures to prevent further escalation of the incident will disturb the site of the incident.
As a result, the scene needs to be protected as best as possible.
Why does the scene need to be preserved?
The main reason that a scene needs to be preserved is because evidence from the scene is a vital
part of any investigation in order to find and convict the individual responsible.
Evidence can be gathered from a scene in a number of ways:
Photographs.
Videos.
Forensics.
Witness Statements.
Photography.
The nature of certain incidents can make it difficult to preserve and produce evidence, for example,
brake marks, damaged rail carriages, as well as damage to vehicles. In these circumstances, it is
acceptable to use photographic evidence in court, but it must be provided by an authorised Scene of
Crime Forensic Photographer, who will also make a statement explaining what the evidence is.
Videography.
In particular incidents, photographs may not be enough to prove liability, for example, in a case of
dangerous driving a video would be better to show as evidence.
All Police cars have video equipment fitted in order to record such offences.
Forensics.
Forensic scientists often play a key part in criminal investigations of serious incidents. These
individuals have the knowledge to examine scenes of crime by applying certain principles in the
gathering, securing and analysing of evidence. Forensic evidence includes:
Fingerprints.
Fibres.
Body Fluids.
Hair.
Glass Samples.
Witness Testimony.
