Depending on the locale, participants might include the fire department; police department; prosecutor; insurance industry; conservation officers; and representatives of Federal agencies, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the FBI. The functions of the task force include determination of the cause and origin of a fire, investigative proceedings, public awareness efforts, liaison activities with other interested agencies, training of fire and police personnel, and the development of an early warning system approach to arson. Participating organizations greatly increase their chances for success by pooling their expertise and resources to combat, investigate, and prevent arson fires in a given geographical area. Specific procedures to follow in investigating a case of suspected arson and in preserving evidence are outlined.