Keep Your Child Safe!

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• Overview
• Help
• Prevention
• Intake
• Interview
• Education
• Follow up

Mission To identify the firesetting behavior of children involved in the unsanctioned and/or unsupervised use of fire, determine the motivation for the firesetting behavior, and provide appropriate education and/or referral for such children/families. Problem Each year in the United States, an estimated 700 children aged five and under die in home fires. Representing 20 percent of the fire deaths each year, this age group has a fire risk that is double the national average. Children playing with matches and lighters and other fire sources started about 91,810 fires per year from 1993 through 1997, which resulted in an estimated 338 deaths and 2,624 injuries each year. Preschool children are the most frequent victims of fires started by children playing with matches or lighters.” (The Development of an Education Program Effective in Reducing the Fire Deaths of Preschool Children: Children Sharon Gamache, National Fire Protection Association Center for High-Risk Outreach and Don Porth and Earl Diment, Portland, Oregon Fire and Rescue)

If your child has experimented with fire… Sign him or her up for The  JUVENILE FIRESETTER PROGRAM. This program provides staff for pre-academy interviews with the child involved in firesetting and his/her family. A fire safety academy completed in three sessions is also provided. As part of the academy, children will learn the fundamentals of fire safety: 1. such as stop, drop, and roll, 2. making a fire drill plan for the home, 3. learning what the law requires children to do in case of fire, 4. and what actions cause fire. Placement for families who need counseling services is also part of the program.

\ Take the time to teach your children about the potential destruction of fire. (It only takes minutes for a whole house to burn down and only seconds to have severe, permanent, physical damage as a result of burns.) Young Children (0-5) Children 5 years old and under when involved in firesetting almost always do so due to curiosity. Teach young children that a match is a tool and not a toy. Keep matches, lighters, and heat producing appliances out of the reach of children. Teach young children to tell an adult if they find matches or a lighter. Reward them for doing so. Older Children (6-12) Children 6 to 12 years old when involved in firesetting may be curious about fire or may have serious problems resulting in firesetting. Set the example for fire safety: Have your children watch the way you cook (i.e. turning pot handles away from reach), the way you light a fire or candles, and the care you show in teaching them that these tasks must be performed only by adults or children under adult supervision. Adolescents (13-17) Children 13 to 17 years of age rarely set fires due to curiosity. Teach and model for your adolescent conflict and stress management skills. Be available for regular communication. Involve your adolescent in decisions that affect her or him. Provide your adolescent with healthy activities (i.e. church, youth group, or sports). Encourage positive relationships with peers and adults.

Intake Intake is probably the easiest aspect of the program. Juveniles are identified and referred to the program by a variety of sources. These sources include but are not limited to: fire service, law enforcement, social services, medical community, mental health, juvenile justice, schools, and parents. When it is determined that a child has caused a fire, the referral process is triggered. An Intake Form (Appendix A) should include at a minimum: name, age, sex, date of birth, address, phone number, parent or caregiver name for each juvenile involved and a brief description of the incident or copy of incident report. This information should be confirmed with the parent or caregiver of the juvenile involved. This process can be done over the phone or in person and can take from ten to thirty minutes. The Intake Form will then be given to the program manager to establish a file for each child.

After the initial discussion with the family, a ninety-minute interview is usually scheduled with a trained intervention specialist. This interview should be confirmed by the mailing of a packet of information to the family. This packet includes a confirmation of the appointment time and date, a brochure describing the Child Firesetting and Juvenile Arson Intervention Program, a smoke alarm brochure, and some handouts describing fire survival skills and child behavioral tips.

Education is the most critical part of the Child Firesetting and Juvenile Arson Intervention Program. When children have had an experience with fire, it is crucial that they gain an understanding of why their behavior was inappropriate. This involves pointing out their mistakes and identifying appropriate corrective action.

Follow-Up/Evaluation Follow-up and evaluation is probably the most important aspect of the Child Fire setting and Juvenile Arson Intervention Program. A good program will employ a comprehensive follow-up component that not only questions recidivism, but also critiques its content and delivery. This follow-up can be used as a compass to guide future changes to the Program. A sample of the follow-up form can be found in Appendix H. Follow-up is performed four to six months post-interview. The follow-up can be done by telephone or mail. Proaction The final element of the Program completes the circle of education. The information gained about child fire setting behaviors is used to target the same audience in a proactive, educational manner. This is the only way to actually prevent fire setting behaviors from occurring (the program alone only prevents repeat behavior). Click Here to download what every parent should know.