Fire Investigations

1
West Metro Fire RescueJuvenile Firesetter
Awareness Community Education

• Presented By
• Fire Investigations
• and
• Community Outreach

2
Problem

• From 1994-2000, West Metro Fire Rescue identified
  intentionally set fires as its number one
  problem. Juveniles accounted for the majority of
  those intentionally set fires. In 1994 West
  Metro percentages fell just below the national
  average at 48 percent.

3
Goals

• The goal of West Metro Fire Rescues F.A.C.E.
  Program is to reduce the number of fires set by
  juveniles and assist families by identifying,
  assessing and intervening with children who
  display firesetting behaviors.

4
Strategies
The F.A.C.E. program currently uses both
proactive and reactive strategies to educate and
reach the residents of the West Metro Fire
Protection District.
5
Proactive

• Pro-active Programs
• Tools Not Toys
• F.A.C.E. the Facts!
• In Your F.A.C.E!
• Educational presentations aimed at those groups
  most at risk Preschoolers, Fifth Graders and
  Adolescents

6
Tools Not Toys

• Goals
• Teach preschoolers (ages 3-5) about match and
  lighter safety by delivering the message that
  matches and lighters are tools for adults and not
  toys for kids.
• Main message Keep hands away from matches and
  lighters and quickly tell an adult whenever you
  see matches, lighters or any other tool.

7
Tools Not Toys

• Program Description
• Brief overview of the difference between tools
  and toys.
• Show magic bin filled with various tools and
  toys (eg. hammer, screw-driver, pliers, matches,
  lighter, books, stuffed animals, action figures).
• Have child decide which category (tool or toy)
  each item goes into.
• Have child act out a scenario where s/he finds
  matches or a lighter and quickly tells an adult.

8
F.A.C.E. the Facts!!

• Goals
• Educate 5th graders about the legal, financial,
  and personal consequences of inappropriate uses
  of fire.
• Heighten awareness of the dangers of fire setting.

9
F.A.C.E. the Facts!!

• Program Description
• Meet program goals through the use of visual aids
  and discussion.
• Visual Aids
• Power Point presentation including pictures of
  fires and their aftermath (damage), and legal
  consequences.
• Video of a real-life fire setting incident and
  the damage and legal consequences Burn Injuries
  footage.

10
In Your F.A.C.E!!

• Goals
• Keep 8th graders (the age group most likely to
  commit arson) from advancing from the
  experimental stage of fire setting to delinquent
  fire setting by
• Reinforce arson/fire setting safety messages
• Reinforce legal, personal, and financial
  consequences.

11
In Your F.A.C.E!!

• Program Description
• Meet program goals through the use of visual aids
  and discussion. Students evaluate potential
  consequences in a case scenario
• Visual Aids
• Power point presentation including footage of a
  delinquent fire setting incident at a near-by
  High School
• Video of burn victims living with the
  consequences of fire setting

12
Reactive

• Re-active Program / Goals
• Identify
• Assess
• Intervene
• Identification, assessment, and intervention with
  juvenile fire setters and their families

13
Culpability

• In the state of Colorado, anyone over the age of
  10 can be held responsible for their actions.
• Repeat offenders
• Societal reaction

14
Identification

• 50 - Actual fires
• 40 - parent/caregiver contact
• 10 - Social services
• Schools
• Law enforcement
• Neighbors

15
Assessment

• FEMA evaluation survey assessing the childs
  behaviors and the degree of firesetting risk
  associated with the behaviors
• Three levels of risk
• Some
• Definite
• Extreme

16
Intervention

• Those children who are at SOME risk receive
  EDUCATION ONLY.
• Children who are under 10 receive in-house
  education with a Life Safety Educator and an
  Investigator.
• Children 10 and older attend a juvenile
  firesetting awareness class, at the Juvenile
  Assessment Center
• The class is co-taught by a Juvenile Assessment
  Center representative and a member of the fire
  department.

17
Intervention

• Those children who are at DEFINITE risk receive
  EDUCATION and a MENTAL HEALTH REFERRAL.
• Children who are under 10 receive in-house
  education with a Life Safety Educator and an
  Investigator.
• Children 10 and older attend a juvenile
  firesetting class, at the Juvenile Assessment
  Center. The class is co-taught by a Juvenile
  Assessment Center representatvie and a member of
  the fire department.
• Parents/caregivers of both age groups receive
  mental health referral lists.

18
Intervention

• Those children who are at EXTREME risk receive an
  immediate MENTAL HEALTH REFERRAL.
• EDUCATION (either in-house or at the Juvenile
  Assessment Center) is offered at a later date
  under the guidance of a mental health
  professional.

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Recent Stats. (1999-2000)

• Since the implementation of West Metro Fire
  Rescues F.A.C.E. program, the occurrence of
  juvenile set fires has decreased by 15.
• 1994 48
• 1999 33
• 2000 37

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Resources and Collaboration

• West Metro works in collaboration with
• Law enforcement
• Local schools
• DAs office
• Psychologists/psychiatrists
• Grant writing
• Hospitals

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What can we provide

• Video(s)
• FEMA Assessment tool and forms
• Handouts for parents/schools
• Program lesson plans/curriculum
• Program implementation and management
• Program presentation to Department heads
• Moral support

22
Contact us

• West Metro Fire Rescue
• 447 South Allison Parkway
• Lakewood, CO 80226
• 303-989-4307
• www.westmetrofire.org

23
Contact us

• Captain Dan Pfannenstiel, Fire Investigation
  Team dpfannenstiel_at_westmetrofire.org
• 303-989-4307 extension 530
• Lara McAllister, Safety Education Specialist
  lmcallister_at_westmetrofire.org
• 303-989-4307 extension 554