Which agency would you contact for fire investigation teams during a major incident?

• A. ATF
• B. FBI
• C. DHS
• D. EPA

Answer: (A)

When a major fire occurs, you need the agency with specialized training to determine the origin and cause. The best choice is the ATF, because they maintain dedicated fire investigators who focus on arson and explosive-related fires, and they provide both field investigation teams and laboratory support to determine whether a fire was accidental or deliberate. In a large incident, the incident command would bring in ATF to lead or co-lead the fire origin-and-cause effort, coordinating with local fire officials and other agencies as needed. FBI would come in if there’s a clear criminal element or terrorism involved, but for routine arson and fire investigations, ATF is the primary federal resource. DHS handles overall emergency management and security coordination but does not typically run the fire investigation. EPA’s role is environmental protection and isn’t involved in origin and cause determinations.