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Theme: "Juvenile Fire Setting: The Preventable Arson.” Each year billions of dollars worth of property is destroyed and hundreds of people are killed due to arson. For the eighth straight year, statistics show, juvenile fire setters account for at least half of those arrested for arson. Close to one-third of those arrested are under the age of 15. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statistics for November 2003 show that children experimenting with fire started 41, 900 fires that were reported to U.S. firedepartments, causing an estimated 165 civilian deaths, 1,900 civilian injuries, and $272million in direct property damage. The crime of arson has the highest rate of juvenile involvement of all other crimes with 55% of all arson arrests in the U.S. are children under 18 with nearly half of these age 15 or less with more than 5% under age 10. Juvenile arson and youth set fires results in over 300 deaths and 2,000 injuries annually and $300 million in property damage and more than 40,000 incidents annually. The price that America pays for youth-set fires is extreme. Most of the lives lost are those of the very children setting the fires. In addition to the cost of the damaged property, there is the cost to the community of the increasing resources needed to fight the problem. Fire in the hands of children destroys - regardless of a child's age or motivation. Children experimenting with fire and juvenile arson is a serious national problem. That is why the first week of May (each year) has been designated National Arson Awareness Week, to raise America’s consciousness of this most costly of all fires and the steps that are being taken to combat it in communities across the country. This year’s theme is "Juvenile Fire setting: The Preventable Arson.” Children often set fires because they are curious, infatuated with fire, mischievous, or wanting attention. Children who start fires may be children in crisis, with the fires acting as cries for help from stressful life experiences or abuse. Youth Firesetting IS NOT just a fire problem... In addition to fire departments, communities must involve the police department, mental health professionals, school system, children's hospitals, social services and the media. If people can become more informed, along with communities having intervention and treatment programs for juvenile firesetters, strides can be made in this very preventable malfeasance. Juvenile Firesetters continue to account for a disproportionate share of arson arrests according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and USFA National Fire Data Center statistics and the Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report. About one in every four fires is intentionally set. If you know or suspect that an arson crime has been committed; contact your local fire or police department. Also, if you suspect a child is setting fires notify the proper authorities, it may not be “just a phase” they are going through. Also, report suspicious activity near a house or other building to the local police and support Neighborhood Watch programs. Other steps that can be taken to reduce the fire setting opportunity:
Remember, youth fire setting and juvenile arson ARE the preventable fires.
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