Youth Firesetter Intervention Specialist I

1. Youth Firesetter Intervention Specialist I Arkansas Fire Academy

2. Introduction • Instructor(s) • Arkansas Fire Academy

3. Acknowledgments This course material has been revised but was originally based on a workshop developed by Pat Mieszala (a nurse and fire safety expert) for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) Practitioner’s Training Workshop.

4. Addressing the Issue • Primary Prevention--provide ongoing fire safety education to children and those who care for children • Secondary Prevention--provide early identification and intervention for high risk kids (ones who set/play with fire) • Tertiary Prevention--saving lives, treating injuries, putting out fires all to minimize the effects of firesetting

5. UNIT ONEIntroduction and Class Goals

6. Class Introductions Each class member • Give name, occupation, etc. • Tell where you’re from and what kind of YFSI program is there, if any • Reason for taking the class • Describe at least one experience you’ve had with a child firesetter

7. Participant goals Each participant: • List 5 things you hope to gain from this workshop Instructor: • Ask for these and write them on a flip chart to make sure that you address them by the end of the class

8. Goals Class graduates will be able to: • Make a public presentation about youth firesetting and intervention • Provide effective youth firesetter intervention including: gather/analyze data, assess needs, provide education/referral, evaluate outcome

9. List YFS statistics Talk to press Teach YFSI class to parent/teacher/ff/etc. groups Recognize/dispel myths about firesetting Recognize a child who needs help Assess Risk Teach a child and family about fire safety Provide smoke alarms Use screening tool Recognize need for and refer to mental health/social services Make follow-up calls Report data Graduate should be able to:

10. Find out who in your areais interested in work with you Instructor should provide you with a list of contacts from your area. After returning home from this course, you should call all the people on this list and let them know you completed the class and want to be a part of the local team.

11. The NFPA 1035 Standard Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Specialist I General Requirements (a) • Meet all requirements in Section 6-1 • you should have a copy of 1035 Standard

12. The NFPA 1035 Standard Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Specialist I General Requirements (b) • Meet requirements for Public Fire And Life Safety Educator I • This is not required for certification by the Arkansas Fire Academy • This certification should be recognized by other states but may not be

13. UNIT TWOThe Extent of the Fire Problem related to Children and Youth

14. Youth vs. Juvenile • Though the Standard says “Juvenile” and that word is used by many in the field, “Youth” is the most appropriate and up-to-date word and will be used whenever possible throughout this course • You will soon see it on most FEMA/NFPA material as well • Refers to people under 18 years of age

15. Fire • Intro

16. 7yo female lighter in bathroom

17. 3yo male smoker

18. 2 and 3 yo housefire

19. 26yo female

20. 11yo male gunpowder dare

21. Gasoline on matchbox cars

22. 17yo female lighter

23. Fire Deaths Arkansas has one of the highest fire-related death rates every year

24. Top 5 Leading Causes of Deadly Home Fires 1. Smoking--over 800 deaths per year Ark--one of highest smoking rates in US 2. ARSON--over 600 deaths per year Youth account for most arson arrests 3. Heating Equipment--over 450 deaths/yr 4. CHILD FIRE PLAY--over 350 deaths/yr 5. Electrical Systems--over 300 deaths/yr

25. Firesetting: a behavior displayed by children who are involved in the unsanctioned or unsupervised use of fire. The firesetting may or may not cause damage or injury. Arson: the deliberate and malicious act of burning. Defining the Problem

26. Burn Injuries • 6th leading type of injury in country • Arkansas has 3rd highest rate of unintentional fire/burn deaths in US • Burn Center costs at least $1500 per day • Burns injuries are predictable & preventable

27. 25% of children treated at Arkansas Children’s HospitalBurn Centerwere burned either in fires they set themselves or by fires they were playing with

28. Nationally, every year children playing with fire in the home cause: • 18,200 Structure Fires • 95,000+ Fires • 289 Civilian Fire Deaths • 2,056 Civilian Fire Injuries • $239.6 million in Direct Property Damage Annual average 1994-1998. DOES NOT INCLUDE ARSON. NFPA The U.S. Fire Problem Overview Report Leading Causes and Other Patterns and Trends June 2001

29. Nationally Child-caused fires ranked: • Ninth in number of home structure fires • Sixth in home fire deaths • Second in home fire injuries • Eighth in direct property damage NFPA: The U.S. Fire Problem Overview Report Leading Causes and Other Patterns and Trends--June 2001

30. Survey of Arkansas Children

31. Arson Arrests by Age

32. FBI Crime Index: Arson • Over 50% of all arson arrests are youth 18 years & under • More than ½ under age 15 • 6.8% under age 10 • Crime with the highest rate of juvenile involvement of all felonies

33. ARSON • Arson/suspected arson constitute the largest single cause of property damage due to fire in the US • Arson fires account for 22% of firefighter injuries.

34. USFA/NFIRS Statistics 23% of US fire deaths are children, but only 16% of the people in the US are children

35. USFA/NFIRS Statistics 17% of US fire deaths are of age 0-5, but only 8% of the population are under 5 years old

36. USFA/NFIRS Statistics • 24% of children who die in fires, die in fires started by children • 68% of preschoolers who die in fires, die in fires started by children

37. USFA/NFIRS Statistics • Of every 100 people who die in child-set fires, 85 are children • Children more often hurt each other unintentionally with fire than with guns

38. Contributing Factors • Easy access to lighters and matches • Lack of adequate supervision • Lack of fire safety education on the part of children and adults

39. Children start noticing fire at age 2 or 3 • Fire makes flames • Fire puts off heat • Fire makes smoke • Fire melts things • Parents use it for fun or cool things • It is normal to think that fire is interesting

40. Children as young as 2 or 3 • Can tell you where lighters are kept • Can get on top of a refrigerator • May notice that their parents don’t get hurt (maybe even have fun) when they use fire

41. Child Resistant Lighters(According to US Consumer Product Safety Commission Standard) • ‘Child resistant’ is determined by having 100 children ages 3 and 4 try to light a lighter in a set amount of time • If 85% of those children cannot light it, it is considered child resistant

42. Child Resistant Lighters • What about kids older than 4? • What about the other 15%? • What about kids who have more time at home with the lighter to figure it out?

43. Child Resistant • Child resistant mechanisms are a defense of last resort • Provides one more barrier should a child overcome our best efforts to keep a lighter out of their hands

44. Since introduction of child resistance laws in 1993, it is less likely that a 12 month old will light a lighter However, there is another threat--Novelty Lighters

45. Novelty Lighters A lighter that has entertaining audio or visual effects, or that depicts (logos, decals, art work, etc.) or resembles in physical form or function articles commonly recognized as appealing to or intended for use by children under 5 years of age. (US Product Safety Commission)

46. INSERTNOVELTY LIGHTERS