Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Program
 

Juvenile fire setting has been identified as the fastest growing fire threat in the United States. The Perry Joint Fire District offers a voluntary juvenile fire setter program to assist parents and directly work with families to provide valuable fire and burn prevention education including the consequences of playing with fire. The sessions are delivered at the fire station and include the individual fire setter, a parent and members of the fire department. Many times local fire departments work together to provide the intervention programs and services to neighboring communities. Juvenile fire setting is a serious community problem with potentially devastating consequences. The Perry Fire Department is committed to gathering backround information and providing guidance to determine the reason behind the fire setting behavior and consider actions to correct the child's behavior.

Why children set fires:

The reason that most children misuse fire is out of curiosity. They are usually between the ages of 3 and 10 and do not have an understanding of the destructive force of playing with fire. The next group are troubled fire setters, usually boys who  use fire setting to express their emotions related to changes in their lives. Criminal fire setters are usually teens with a history of antisocial behavior, truancy and alcohol/drug abuse. It is important for parents to remember ALL fire setting is dangerous and should not be ignored. Early treatment is important to prevent the loss of life and minimize home damage and injuries.

Prevention and Education:
 

• Supervise children at all times

• Store lighters and matches in a secure location

• Check your child's room for evidence of fire setting

• Install smoke detectors in your home

• Create and practice a home fire escape plan

• Teach children to STOP, DROP and ROLL, if their cloths catch on fire

• Set a good example for children about fire safety

• Contact your local Juvenile Fire Setter program if you suspect misuse of fire by your child

If you suspect your child having interest in fire setting, playing with matches/lighters, contact the Perry Joint Fire District at 440-259-2880, or email us @ sbutsko@perryfire.info to schedule a Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Session.