The Firefighters Support Foundation now offers free evidence-preservation training materials aimed at firefighters, said the nonprofit’s president, Ralph Mroz.

The program addresses all aspects of preserving evidence at fire, medical and rescue scenes. It also describes the kinds of evidence that first responders are likely to encounter and how to preserve it for law enforcement, he said.

“The training materials provide information on how to preserve evidence when a firefighter gets on scene, regardless if it’s a house fire or a vehicle fire,” Mroz said. “Both have the potential to be crime scenes.”

Mroz noted that the nonprofit approached the project with firefighters in mind. The training material puts evidence preservation into the context of the job that firefighters, medics and search and rescue personnel go to a scene to perform. It also provides several examples of first responders preserving evidence in cases where their action made a difference to the subsequent investigation.

In addition, it debunks certain myths, such as the hearsay rule. Firefighters should report everything they hear and let the investigators about what’s admissible, Mroz said.

“You never know what detail will help an investigation,” he said.

This program is available in two formats: a PowerPoint slide presentation and a 50-minute video program, Mroz said. It is free to public-safety agencies.