Each year in the United States of America, millions of dollars of property is destroyed, thousands of people are burned and hundreds of people die because of youth set fires. Since its inception in 1979, the Phoenix Fire Department’s Youth Firesetter Intervention Program has been dedicated to assisting children, youth and their families with the issues related to fire curiosity, fire experimentation and firesetting. Since 1979, the program has assisted over 7,000 youth and their families.
In the year 2006, the Phoenix Fire Department:
- Received 382 youth firesetter referrals on children ages 2 through 17
- Investigated youth set fires that totaled over $1,200,000 of property loss
- Arrested 15 youth for arson offenses
- Referred 83 youth and their families to counseling
- Had 268 youth and 216 adults attend the education classes
What the Phoenix Fire Department Youth Firesetter Intervention Program offers to the community:
- Education Classes
- Parent Groups
- Firesetter Risk Assessments
- Counseling Referrals
- Parent Guide
- Handbook for School Personnel
- Age Appropriate Curriculums
- Intern and Volunteer Opportunities
- Community Presentations
- Other Agency Assistance
- Research
Who are juvenile firesetters and why do they set fires?
- A youth firesetter is a child under the age of 18, who accidentally or purposely starts a fire
Children and youth set fires for many reasons:
- Curiosity/Experimentation: Children want to see how things like matches and lighters work and how things burn
- Imitating Behavior: Children imitate their parents, other family members and important people in their lives
- Peer Pressure: Some children and youth are pressured into setting fires by their friends
- Crisis: Some children may be experiencing a recent crisis or trauma and use firesetting as a way to cope, as a cry for help or out of anger
- Risk Taking: Some children use fire to add an element of risk to their activities
- Some children use fire as a way to threaten and intimidate others
- Some children use fire during other illegal activities as a way to cover up their crimes and destroy evidence
Whatever the reason a child starts a fire, there is help through the Phoenix Fire Department’s Youth Firesetter Intervention Program.
Last modified on
10/20/2008 14:32:16
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