Vocational Training for Firefighters in the Fire Brigade to Investigate the Causes of Fires

<< Background >>The province of Antalya is Turkiye's fifth-largest city with a population of 2.8 million people. During the summer period, the population of the province becomes 8 million. Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Fire Brigade Department serves 21.109 km ². 57% of this area is covered with forests. The CAFI project was initiated in response to a significant structural gap in post-fire scene investigation in Türkiye. Fire Brigade Departments, particularly in high-risk regions do not have the infrastructure to precisely determine the causes of fires. Although national regulations (Municipal Fire Brigade Regulation) require official fire reports indicating fire causes, most field reports are based on assumptions rather than forensic evaluation. This leads to delays in judicial processes and prevents the development of preventive fire policies. The CAFI project aimed to address these needs by establishing a fire scene investigation unit, developing a professional training curriculum, and adapting European best practices to transfer to Türkiye.<< Objectives >>The CAFI project aimed to establish the first professional Fire Scene Investigation Unit in Türkiye. The primary goal was to enhance firefighters' competencies in determining fire causes and preparing fire reports. By transferring advanced practices from European countries, the project sought to improve the quality of vocational training in the sector. Through the development of a digital learning module, a comprehensive guideline, a Training the Trainers (TTT) program, and open-access materials, the project aimed to create a sustainable and nationally scalable educational model.Through this project, by transferring examples of good practices from the fire brigades of EU countries, the following objectives were pursued:* To minimize the problems encountered following fire interventions,* To examine the causes of fires in detail and maximize preventive measures,* To serve as a role model within Türkiye through the delivery of Fire Protection and Prevention strategies,- To enhance public safety through Community Fire Safety initiatives.<< Implementation >>The CAFI project was carried out through a well-structured work plan covering phases of planning, training, implementation, dissemination, and monitoring. The project began with a kickoff meeting and the first TPM in Antalya, followed by international project meetings held in Ireland and the Poland. The Training the Trainers (TTT) activity in the Poland allowed 3Turkish firefighters to receive training on fire scene analysis, and forensic reporting techniques. These trainees later served as instructors during the pilot training held in Antalya. Under the coordination of Akdeniz University, educational content was developed, including the Fire Scene Investigation Education Cirruculum,case studies. All materials were disseminated through the project’s public website. Three multiplier events were organized in Antalya, reaching key target groups such as professional firefighters, volunteers, and municipalities managers. Monthly coordination meetings, quality assurance mechanisms, and internal reporting ensured that project activities were implemented effectively and on schedule.At the end of the activities regularly held by MCC, pre- and post-evaluation forms were prepared. These forms were then examined and a report was prepared.<< Results >>The most concrete outcome of the CAFI project is that, for the first time in Turkey, the establishment of a Fire Scene Investigation Unit has officially begun. The firefighters who will work in this unit, which will be established within the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department, have completed both their theoretical and practical training within the scope of the project and have started active duty. The Fire Scene Investigation Guideline, developed in line with international standards, has been published as a professional tool for field application. The trilingual digital learning module significantly enhanced accessibility in vocational training. With its user-friendly interface, case studies, video content, and evaluation modules, it supports self-paced learning for the target audience. Training videos, reporting templates, and the guideline were all made freely available via the project website. Seminars allowed direct engagement with diverse stakeholders. The open-access nature of the outputs enables other municipalities, to utilize the materials. With academic validation from Akdeniz University and external monitoring by MCC, the project’s results were confirmed to be of high quality and long-term relevance.