Which tool could contribute to cross-contamination at a fire scene?

Firefighting gear can contribute to cross-contamination at a fire scene due to the nature of the materials and substances that firefighters encounter. When firefighters respond to a fire, their gear may come into contact with various contaminants, such as soot, chemicals, and other debris present at the scene. This means that any evidence collected can be unintentionally tainted when firefighters or their gear come into contact with clean evidence markers or samples.

Forensic protocols emphasize maintaining the integrity of evidence, and since firefighting gear can harbor residues from a scene, it poses a risk of transferring these residues to evidence collection tools or other areas where evidence is analyzed. Care must be taken to mitigate this risk by ensuring that firefighters do not mix their gear with areas where evidence is being collected or documented.

In contrast, tools like a camera, evidence tarp, and scent detectors are specifically designed to assist in the documentation and collection of evidence without introducing contaminants. The camera captures images of the scene without direct contact, the evidence tarp provides a clean area for placing collected items, and scent detectors help locate substances without interfering with the physical evidence. Each of these alternatives supports contamination prevention rather than contributing to it, illustrating why firefighting gear is particularly problematic in this context.