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1. Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office Youth Program Division Elena Nuss-Chief Youth Programs
nusse@ksfm.state.ks.us
Rosie Williams-Program Director
williamr@ksfm.state.ks.us
Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office
700 SW Jackson Suite 600
Topeka, Ks 66603
785-296-3401
2. Public Health A Partner in Fire and Burn Prevention
3. Youth Program Division Mission Our mission
is to reduce the
death, injury,
and property loss due
to juvenile set fires
in Kansas.
4. Workshop Goals Identify the scope and impact of children misusing fire.
Recognize and dispel myths surrounding children and fire.
Identify the role of public health as a community partner in combating the problem of children misusing fire.
5. Is Child Firesetting a Problem?
6. Children and Fire Of every 100 people in the U.S.
7. Pre-School Children and Fire Of every 100 people in the U.S.
8. Juvenile Firesetter Defined Children who have been involved in the unsanctioned and/or unsupervised use of fire (babies-age 17).
The firesetting may or may not cause damage, injury, or death.
The term firesetter does not necessarily denote mental illness (e.g. pyromania) or a crime.
9. Arson Defined Arson is knowingly by means of fire or explosive: 1) damaging any building or property in which another person has any interest without the consent of such other person; 2) damaging any building or property with intent to injure or defraud an insurer or lienholder.
Aggravated Arson is committed upon a building or property in which there is a human being.
10. Pyromania Defined Pyromania is the uncontrollable urge to set
fires; a mental state and recognized
psychological disorder
(true pyromaniacs are few in number and set fires as a release of tension or in response to “voices” from within or in the form of an imaginary person or animal)
11. Pyromania Defined Pyromania is the uncontrollable urge to set
fires; a mental state and recognized
psychological disorder
(true pyromaniacs are few in number and set fires as a release of tension or in response to “voices” from within or in the form of an imaginary person or animal)
12. The Scope of Juvenile Firesetting Juvenile Firesetting is a leading cause of arson in the United States.
51% of all arson arrests are age 18 or under.
37˝% of all arson arrests are age 15 or under.
An average of 100,000 fires annually are set by children (the ratio of unreported to reported is three to one)
Source: FBI Crime Index
13. Scope The leading cause of unintentional home injury death involving children under the age of 15 is fire/burn.
Fire/Burn is the second leading cause of unintentional home injury death for children under the age of 1.
14. KANSAS STATISTICS 1999 – 2003 Children caused 1,834 reported fires.
Child set fires caused over $10 million in loss.
Child set fires caused 101 injuries.
Child set fires caused 8 deaths.
The Causes
Matches 445 Fires Lighters 296 Fires
Fireworks 373 Fires Other 720 Fires
Source: Kansas Fire Incident Reporting System
15. Additional Facts In the U.S.A. juveniles are responsible for over 40% of all structure fires. (Snyder 1998)
55% of all school building arson fires were committed by juveniles. (Alexander 1997)
Between 40 and 50% of juveniles admitted to hospitals for burn injuries are burned in fires they set themselves, or were set by another juvenile. (Barth 1998)
16. Children and Fire The Myths and Facts MYTHS
“Don’t all children play with fire?”
“Playing with fire is a stage they’ll grow out of. . .”
“It was just a small fire,
they were just playing. . . . “
17. Children and Fire The Myths and Facts FACTS
For children, interest in fire is natural, setting fires is NOT.
Children, as young as age 3, need to be taught about fire – what it is, what it does, and what it can do if it gets out of control.
All big fires start small.
18. Children and Fire The Myths and Facts MYTHS
“Juvenile firesetters are pyromaniacs!”
“Punishing or scaring children will make them stop playing with and setting fires.”
Showing children pictures of burn victims and people or animals who die in fires will stop their firesetting behavior
Firesetting in children is related to bedwetting and cruelty to animals.
19. Children and Fire The Myths and Facts FACTS
The majority of juvenile firesetters are ordinary children in need:
Some are curious and experimenting with fire (these children benefit from education).
Some are troubled (these children need counseling and other community services.
20. Children and Fire The Myths and Facts FACTS
Punishment and scare tactics do NOT teach a child about fire.
Children need to be educated about fire and fire tools.
21. Types of Motivation Four main types of motivation of juvenile firesetters:
Curiousity
Crisis
Delinquent
Pathological
22.
Curiosity
23. Characteristics of the Child Typically 3 to 7 year old male.
High incidence of ADD/ADHD
Low impulse control.
Active - learns by touching.
Difficult – oppositional child.
Often Manipulative.
24. Characteristics of the Fire Typically uses ordinary, found combustibles with matches or lighters.
Relatively unsophisticated fires.
Recent onset, sporadic frequency.
Hidden locations such as in a closet or under the bed.
Child may try to extinguish the fire.
25. Characteristics of the Environment Often single-parent family.
General lack of safety awareness.
Easy access to ignition materials.
Limited range of coping strategies for child with attention deficits.
Over/under stimulation a factor.
26. Typical Reactions Parents often may react with fear or anger, and often punish child.
Child has trouble with impulses and is able to resist/oppose parents.
Child will often continue to set fires.
27. The Dynamic The child is curious about fire and plays with it in order to learn about it.
If parents react strongly and punish the child, the dynamic can begin to include a power struggle over the use of fire.
If parents do not respond, the curiosity may not be satisfied and the fires may continue.
28.
Crisis
29. Characteristics of the Child Typically young male.
Often described as shy.
Uncomfortable or incapable of talking about feelings.
Unable to cope with stress.
Does not handle rejection well.
Experiencing a crisis – a recent move, death, a change in the family structure, school failure, abuse or neglect.
30. Characteristics of the Fire Sudden onset following a stressful incident.
Often specific targets related to crisis.
Clearly symbolic of the crisis.
Planned to be discovered.
Often are premeditated.
Child readily admits to the fire, often without showing any remorse.
31. Characteristics of the Environment Marked by recent trauma or crisis.
Death, divorce, parent illness.
New siblings/family move.
New school/school failure.
Possible neglect/abuse.
Range of family strengths and weaknesses.
Parent/Caregiver unable to provide child with needed support.
32. Typical Reactions Parents may react with guilt, shock and fear and try to project their family crisis onto the child.
Child may seem remorseless, and may indicate anger and feelings of fear and often relief at being caught.
33.
Delinquent
34. Characteristics of the Child Typically adolescent/older child.
Awkward, growing faster or slower than peers.
Easily led, strongly influenced by friends.
Lacks good judgment.
Impulsive and irresponsible.
Risk taker who opposes authority.
Often beginning a pattern of anti-social/criminal acts.
35. Characteristics of the Fire Generally set by groups.
Set in outdoor locations like trash bins, brush or grass piles, vacant lots, abandoned cars.
Fireworks, smoke bombs, bomb threats, false alarms.
School fires in waste paper baskets, bathrooms, parking lots.
Often uses accelerants - gasoline, aerosol cans, lighter fluid.
36. Characteristics of the Environment Peer dominated.
Group dynamic of leader/followers.
Family/home of less significance.
37. Typical Reactions Parents often embarrassed and angry.
Adolescent disregards legal consequences as hassle.
Adolescent may be embarrassed and afraid of consequences, although their defensive manner and posturing suggest otherwise.
Adolescent often reacts irresponsibly and attempts to rationalize, deny, blame others, and otherwise avoid being held accountable for actions.
38.
Pathological
39. Characteristics of the Child Typically a male.
History of medical and/or neurological problems.
School problems – behavior and achievement.
Emotional and psychological disorders.
Victim of physical and/or sexual abuse, parental neglect, deprivation.
Unable to form bonds or establish relationships.
Fascination with fire.
Possibly high IQ.
40. Characteristics of the Fire Multiple incidents.
Extensive history.
Progression in behavior over the years.
Ritualistic fires.
Carefully designed to avoid discovery.
Almost always set in/around the home.
Child denies involvement.
Child appears almost be protective of fires.
41. Characteristics of the Environment Substance abuse in home.
History of violent and/or criminal behaviors.
Abusive environment.
Possible incestuous environment.
Unstructured, cold and hostile.
42. Typical Reactions Parent involvement questionable.
Family often unresponsive to child’s needs.
Child will almost always deny involvement, come up with plausible theories for accidental origin of the fire.
Child is often overly familiar with “the system” and can effectively thwart interviewers or social workers.
44. VIDEO “Child Firesetting and Juvenile Arson: A Call to Community Action”
(Example of fire service partnering
with juvenile justice system and
others in the community.)
45. VIDEO “In Their Own Words”
(Three teenagers tell their story
of how juvenile firesetting
affected their lives.)
46. How can you spark change?
47. Start a Y-FIRE Program Network with Community Partners
Partner with Existing Programs
Eight Step Plan.
Prevention and Intervention Components
Home Safety and Supervision Plans
Curriculum and Resource Ideas
Ongoing Training – Annual Pub Ed Conference.
(“Reel in Winning Strategies
by using the right bait!!)
48. Where to go from here? Start with the Eight Step Plan.
Research - Determine the scope of the problems in your area.
Network – invite key partners to the table, don’t forget law enforcement, social services, mental health, and juvenile justice.
Plan – plan the next meeting, agenda, training needs, etc.
Keep on going and remember to call the KSFMO Youth Programs Division if you need additional assistance.
49. Resources Video/Resource Loaner Library – Catalog Available.
Coalition Building Training
Program Materials/Resource Kits
Consultation on Diversion Programs and Community Restitution Plans
Training Seminars for mental health professionals, fire service, law enforcement, teachers, and other community groups.
Curriculum for Preschool thru Eighth Grade
50. Resources Skills Curriculum for 13 to 17 Year Olds.
Challenge for Life – High School Curriculum
Parent and Child Workbooks
Fire Safety Brochures
Promotional Items
