🔥SMOKE SIGNALS: Communicating with Your Expert🔥
Because the best investigations begin with the right conversation.
Picture this...
You've just assigned a fire loss. The scene is still smoking, the insured has three different versions of what happened, the contractor is already talking about demolition, and someone inevitably asks:
"So... what caused it?"
As tempting as it is to expect an immediate answer, a quality fire investigation doesn't work like a microwave, it works more like a slow cooker. The best conclusions come from collecting facts, testing hypotheses, and letting the evidence tell the story.
The good news? You don't have to be a fire investigator to get the most value from your expert. You simply need to know what information they need, how the investigation progresses, and how to read the report they're preparing for you.
📞 Great Investigations Start with Great Communication
The most valuable information is often available before the investigator ever arrives.
Sharing information such as:
Occupant and witness statements
Fire department reports
Scene photographs before overhaul
Alarm activity reports
Utility records
Prior loss history
Contractor or maintenance information
Repair estimates
Surveillance or security footage
can dramatically improve efficiency and help focus the investigation on the most relevant hypotheses.
🔬 Your Expert Isn't Looking for Answers...
They're Looking for Evidence.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that experts arrive with an opinion.
In reality, they should arrive with questions.
A properly trained investigator follows the Scientific Method outlined in NFPA 921:
✅ Recognize the need
✅ Define the problem
✅ Collect data
✅ Analyze the data
✅ Develop hypotheses
✅ Test those hypotheses
✅ Select the hypothesis that best fits all of the known facts
Notice what's missing?
There isn't a step called "Go with your gut."
📄 Understanding an Expert Report
A well-written expert report should read like a story supported by evidence, not simply a conclusion.
Most reports generally include:
🔥 Area of Origin
Where did the fire begin- most localized point that can be identified and articulated?
⚡ Ignition Source
What introduced sufficient heat to start combustion?
🪵 First Fuel
What was the first material ignited- does it match heat retention capabilities (size/shape)?
🔄 Fire Development
How did the fire grow and spread- does it match scientific principles of thermal movement?
🔍 Evidence Examined
What observations, testing, interviews, and documentation support the findings?
📚 Analysis
How were competing hypotheses evaluated and eliminated?
📝 Opinion
What conclusion is supported by the available evidence?
The opinion should be the final chapter, not the first sentence.
❓ Ask Questions- Lots of Them
Your investigator should welcome thoughtful questions.
Consider asking:
What evidence supports this conclusion?
What other ignition sources were considered?
What hypotheses were rejected?
Were any destructive examinations performed?
Is laboratory testing recommended?
Is additional information still outstanding?
Does anything limit the certainty of the opinion?
What is the level of certainty in this opinion (Possible/Probable)?
Are there any Improper Use / Negative Corpus issues?
A confident expert shouldn't be afraid to explain how they reached their conclusions.
If they can't explain it simply, they may not fully understand it themselves.
⚖️ Facts vs. Opinions
One of the most important things to recognize is the difference between an observation and an opinion.
Fact:
"The greatest fire damage was located in the southwest corner of the garage."
Opinion:
"The fire originated in the southwest corner of the garage."
One is something everyone can observe.
The other is a conclusion reached after evaluating available evidence.
The strongest expert reports clearly distinguish between the two.
🤝 You're Part of the Investigation Team
The investigator, adjuster, engineer, attorney, and client all share the same goal:
Find the truth.
The best investigations happen when everyone communicates openly, shares information promptly, and allows the evidence… not assumptions- to guide the outcome.
No investigator has every answer on Day One.
Likewise, no adjuster has every document on Day One.
Working together produces stronger investigations, clearer reports, better claim decisions, and fewer surprises later if litigation becomes necessary.
💡 Final Thought
Fire scenes don't come with instruction manuals.
Every burned structure, damaged appliance, witness statement, and piece of physical evidence tells part of the story.
Your expert's job isn't simply to determine what happened.
It's to explain how they know.
And the better we communicate throughout the investigation, the clearer, and more defensible that story becomes.