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**\
National Arson Awareness Week**

**May 5-11, 2002**

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the International
Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI.) announces this year's Arson
Awareness Week theme "Arson is NOT a Victimless Crime."

Partnering with the USFA and the IAAI again this year, is the Insurance
Committee for Arson Control (ICAC) and the International Association of
Special Investigative Units (IASIU).

In October 2001, the International Association of Chiefs of Police
(IACP) adopted a resolution in support of National Arson Awareness week
during their 108th Annual Conference. The resolution calls on all IACP
members to support Arson Awareness Week and to promote awareness,
understanding and prevention of arson crimes.

The number of organizations that are joining efforts toward the fight
against arson is growing. Each new partner makes us stronger.

The goal of Arson Awareness Week is to focus public attention on severe
national consequences of arson. It is time to push the message that
arson is not a victimless crime in every contact with the public and
media! By drawing people's attention to the costs of arson, we hope to
level the resources and support necessary to reduce or end this crime.

***Your leadership role is critical.***

We need to get this story into the media everywhere there is an arson
fire. This is the type of story that has immense media appeal because it
contains strong visual images and the human touch.

***Don't sit there. Do something!***

The goal is to organize as many arson awareness activities in your
community, you can reason-ably manage, to raise citizen awareness of
this problem. The following are a few activities that all communities
could use to kick off National Arson Awareness Week.

> •The Mayor, City Council, or both could issue an Arson Awareness Week
>
> Proclamation. A sample proclamation is attached for your use.
>
> •The fire and police departments, where appropriate, could jointly
> release information on unsolved arsons and ask for the community's
> help in solving them. The local release could be done in a press
> conference, a call-in talk (radio or TV) show or any other highly
> visible event that will get good media coverage.
>
> •Letters to the editor or editorials to your local newspaper are
> encouraged. Most newspapers have to print "letters to the Editor."
> This is one of the more popular ways of getting your messages read.
>
> •With this year's theme "Arson is NOT a Victimless Crime," you may
> want to enlist the help of your local Shriner's Organization to help
> promote awareness of the forgotten victims of this crime. Consider
> having an arson victim as your spoke person, first hand information is
> very emotional and powerful.
>
> •Send "Arson is NOT a Victimless Crime" posters to your local
> newspapers, libraries, YMCAs and other public places. The posters are
> available from the IAAI Office by calling (314) 739-4224. Posters are
> free of charge, order early.
>
> •Plan presentations during Arson Awareness Week at local schools.
>
> •Enlist the help of other organizations to help distribute materials
> and promote awareness, i.e., Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Boy Scouts,
> and church groups.

**Sample Proclamation Request Letter**

*\[Use your organizational letterhead\]*

*\[Date\]*

The Honorable *\[first and last name\]*

Governor of *\[insert state\]*

State Capitol

City, State, Zip

Dear Governor *\[insert last name\]*:

On behalf of the United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), I am contacting
you for your support in proclaiming May 5-11, 2002 as "Arson Aware-ness
Week."

The IAAI is a worldwide organization comprised of firefighters, police
officers, insurance personnel, and others dedicated to the suppression
of arson.

The IAAI has thousands of members and Chapters in all states and many
foreign countries.

The objectives and goals of the organization are:

> •To unite for mutual benefit those public officials and private
> persons engaged in the control of arson and kindred crimes.
>
> •To promote the legal exchange of technical information and new
> forensic developments.
>
> •To cooperate with other law enforcement agencies and associations to
> further fire and arson investigations and the suppression of insurance
> fraud and related crimes.
>
> •To encourage high professional standards of conduct among members and
> to continually strive to eliminate barriers to the administration of
> justice.

The United States continues to be plagued by a staggering fire problem
sustaining approximately 1.7 million fires annually resulting in nearly
\$2 billion dollars in losses.

All national sources of fire statistics, the U.S. Fire Administration,
the National Fire Protection Association and the Insurance Information
Institute agree on one point; five hundred thousand fires, or about one
in every four fires in this country today, are intentionally set.

Fires set in vacant buildings are a problem in many American
communities. Nationally, three in every four vacant building fires are
officially classified are incendiary or suspicious. Firefighters are
three times more likely to be injured fighting a vacant building fire
than an ordinary structure fire.

The theme of this year's Arson Awareness Week is "Arson is **NOT** a
victimless crime."

Please join with the many states that have already proclaimed this week
as "Arson Awareness Week."

If you have any further questions regarding this endeavor, please
contact me at *(xxx) xxx-xxxx at (000)000 --0000* or Pam Craig-White,
USFA/IAAI Liaison, at (203) 238-7028.

Respectfully Yours,

*\[Your name, title and address\]*

**Proclamation**

National Arson Awareness Week

WHEREAS, Arson is a serious crime that affects each and every person and
can only be stopped when citizens realize the severe damage that arson
causes; and

WHEREAS, Cities, communities and neighborhoods are blighted by Arson
which results in erosion of the tax base and loss of employment; and

WHEREAS, Arson has disrupted our educational and manufacturing systems
with the destruction of irreplaceable buildings and artifacts; and

WHEREAS, Natural resources are rendered useless for long periods of time
or are completely destroyed; and

WHEREAS, Needless human injuries and deaths are caused acts of Arson;
and

WHEREAS, A large percentage of property insurance premiums are used to
cover the losses from Arson, and tax dollars must be used to pay for
fire extinguishment and the investigation of these malicious acts, which
is a senseless waste of our precious resources when the majority of the
public must directly bare the burden of an individuals criminal action;
and

WHEREAS, The financial loss annually due to Arson reaches billions of
dollars, which does not include indirect losses, both emotional and
financial, including funerals, medical and legal cost, wages, business
interruption, fire fighting and law enforcement efforts which together
exceed the direct losses many fold; and

WHEREAS, Public awareness is one of the specific responsibilities of the
International Association of Arson Investigators, Inc.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that The International Association of
Arson Investigators, Inc., Board of Directors meeting in Executive
Session on November 1, 1985, in Atlanta, Georgia, hereby proclaims the
week, beginning on May 4, 1986, as National Arson Awareness Week, and
the first full week of May shall be so designated each year thereafter.

*By action of the Board of Directors*

*International Association of Arson Investigators, Inc.*

*November 1, 1985*

*Atlanta, Georgia*

**Sample Resolution**

WHEREAS, arson is a serious crime that affects all people and can only
be stopped when citizens realize the physical and emotional damage
suffered by arson victims; and

WHEREAS, arson is a serious crime that affects all people and can only
be stopped when citizens realize the toll arson takes on communities;
and

WHEREAS, arson is a serious national problem causing an estimated 500
deaths and\$2,000,000,000 in property damage each year; and

WHEREAS, over half of the arsons in the country are caused by juveniles
and young children; and

WHEREAS, arson is frequently used as an act of terrorism and brutality;
and

WHEREAS, cities, communities and neighborhoods are blighted by arson
resulting in the erosion of the tax base, the community's economic
structure, loss of employers and jobs;

and

WHEREAS, the support and promotion of National Arson Awareness Week will
honor all that is best within humanity by focusing our collective
efforts on a community solution:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, \[Governor's or Mayor's name\], \[Governor or Mayor\]
of \[City or State\], on behalf of its citizens do hereby proclaim May
5 - May 11, 2002, to be Arson

Awareness Week.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the \[Governor's or Mayor's name\] and
\[insert Cabinet or Council, etc.\] pay special tribute to all fire an
law enforcement investigative agencies for

their dedicated and tireless service.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, the \[insert Governor's or Mayor's name\] and
insert Cabinet or Council, etc.\] of the \[insert City or State\] have
hereunto subscribed their names and have

caused the Official Seal of the \[insert City and County or State\] to
be hereunto affixed in the

\[City of State\] of \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ on this
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ day of \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_2002.

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\[Signature\]

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**National Arson Awareness Week**

**May 5-11, 2002**

**The goals of Arson Awareness Week are:**

> •To create a national recognition, awareness and understanding of the
> arson problem in the United States.
>
> •To encourage communities to get involved in the dissemination of
> arson aware-
>
> ness information by creating a simple, identifiable and unifying
> message for arson prevention.
>
> •Organize local events that raise a community's awareness of arson
> issues.
>
> •Engage national, regional and local media outlets in delivering the
> message.

**Arson Facts**

> •Arson killed more than 500 Americans in 2000, an increase of 36.5%
> from1999.
>
> •An estimated 75,000 structure fires were deliberately set or
> suspected of
>
> having been deliberately set, an increase of 4.2% from a year ago.
>
> •Incendiary or suspicious structure fires resulted in \$1,340,000,000
> in property damage. This represents 15.7% of all structure property
> loss.
>
> •46,500 vehicle fires of incendiary or suspicious origin occurred, an
> increase of3.3% from a year ago, and caused \$186,000,000 in property
> damage.
>
> •The American Red Cross reported 76,276 families were displaced due to
> fire
>
> in 2000. This accounts for 60% of all families assisted during the
> year.
>
> •In 2000, a total of 102 firefighters were killed while on duty.

Source: National Fire Protection Association 2000 Fire Loss in the U.S.
and American Red Cross Disaster Services 2000 Report

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**Speaking Notes**

Arson remains one of this nation's most dangerous and costly threats for
citizens and their property alike. Arson burns everyone, even children.
Arson does not discriminate. And it is happening every minute of the
day! We are all victims of arson in one way or another.

Every 18 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the
nation, in 2000, there were 1,708,000 fires.

**Nationwide, there was a fire death every 130 minutes!**

The latest statistics from the National Fire Protection Association
reveals more than 4,000 civilian fire deaths occurred in the year 2000,
an increase of 18.1 percent over the previous year. That equates to 14.8
deaths per million people.

**How many of these fire deaths could have been prevented?**

Incendiary or suspicious fires in structures resulted in 505 civilian
deaths, a significant increase of 36.5 percent from 1999. These figures
are only for fire deaths, what about injuries?

**Nationwide, there was a civilian fire injury every 23 minutes!**

In 2000, there were 22,350 civilians injured, an increase of 2.2 percent
from the year before. Of this number 17,400 or 77.9% of all civilian
injuries occurred in residential properties.

**A fire occurs in a structure at the rate of one every 62 seconds, and
in particular a residential fire occurs every 83 seconds.**

The amount of property damage in structure fires for 2000 was \$9.5
billion dollars. Of this, more than \$5 billion was for property loss in
residential buildings.

**How much of this property loss could have been prevented?**

\$1.3 billion dollars in property damage was intentionally set! This is
an increase of 4.6 percent from 1999. If you add in the dollars lost
from the 46,500 intentionally set vehicle fires, and include the brush
fires, rubbish fires and other fires that are set, the total dollars
lost each year is approximately \$2 billion dollars.

**Who pays for this? We all do!**

We pay for it in higher property insurance premiums . . . and in higher
taxes to make up for the taxes lost from businesses that close down
after a fire, and in the reduced market value of the surrounding
properties.

But that's not all. We also pay for it in costs that can't be measured
in dollars . . . in lives lost . . .in thousands of arson survivors who
end up physically or emotionally scarred . . . in insurance claims for
law enforcement, fire service and emergency medical service personnel
injured while responding to these events . . . in gutted buildings that
were once thriving businesses and are now havens for drug dealers,
prostitutes and other criminals . . . and in the added fear of crime.

I am here as part of Arson Awareness Week's initiative to help educate
the public on the perils of arson related crimes. Arson does not
discriminate, it affects all of us regardless of age, race, religion or
ethnic background.

**What is being done to reduce the threat of arson?**

Several things:

Public awareness programs such as Arson Awareness Week sponsored by the
United States Fire Administration and the International Association of
Arson Investigators to educate communities on arson.

Insurance companies are cracking down on arson fraud as never before.
One way companies are doing this is by tracking and reporting
information on suspicious fires, to the Property Insurance Loss
Register, a national database, which police and fire officials use to
investigate fires and prosecute arsonists. While this is not a recent
development, increased use should pay bigger dividends as the amount of
information in the database grows.

Many insurance companies also are giving more intensive arson detection
training to their property claims adjusters. Company underwriters, the
people who decide whether to offer insurance to individuals and
businesses, are also receiving training in recognizing information that
could warn that an insurance applicant presents a big arson risk. More
and more insurance companies are making a commitment to help reduce
juvenile fire setting. They are supporting existing programs for
teaching children fire safe habits; providing the resources necessary to
bring firefighters and kids together in a big brother relationship; and
supporting outreach pro-grams to help people better understand the
nature of this problem.

Of course, firefighters have long received training in arson detection.
But in recent years a greater number of firefighters have become fire
prevention and arson investigation experts. They are true detectives,
highly trained and skilled in determining a fire's origin. Specially
trained dogs are able to sniff out areas in which an accelerant such as
gasoline, was used to start a fire, when human investigators can't. Of
course, fire investigations take place after a fire. I'm sure that given
the choice, everyone here would prefer not to be a victim of arson.

**So . . . what can WE do to prevent arson?**

One thing we can do is report suspicious activity near a house or other
building to the local police. We should also join and support
Neighborhood Watch or similar programs. The existence of these
organizations may reduce the incidence of all sorts of crime, including
arson. We can stop treating kids that play with matches as though it is
just a phase that every child goes through. We must look at children
playing with fire the same way we look at children playing with guns.
Believe me Ladies and Gentlemen when I tell you that a child with one
match or lighter can do far more damage than a child with a gun. If you
suspect a child is playing with fire, don't wait for it to get out of
hand. Talk to them. Find out why they're doing it. If it's because they
don't know about fire, get hem some education. If it's more than that,
get them some help.

There are several organizations in our community that might be of
assistance. The local fire departments, the police departments, the
school system, mental health facilities - - to name a few can often
provide guidance to a parent in need of direction.

We also need to keep leaves, firewood and other combustibles away from
our homes. A vandal may look at a stack of firewood against a house or
garage as an invitation to start a fire. Standard crime deterrents,
including keeping doors and windows locked when we're not home, also
could help reduce the arson threat. The local fire and police department
will be please to come to your property to conduct safety, security and
fire prevention inspections or surveys and to advise you what additional
measures you can take to protect yourself and your property from an
arsonist.

Business owners need to keep trash containers, boxes and other
combustibles away from their buildings. They also need to make sure all
windows and doors are securely locked when the workplace is closed, and
here's a suggestion that quite a few business owners have ignored to
their regret: Keep track of all keys to your building! If you don't know
who has keys, change the locks. Take keys away from employees who leave
the company. A disgruntled former employee with access to the building
could come back and do a lot of damage. Installing burglar alarms and
fire and smoke alarms and sprinkler systems are all worth considering.

We know that ancient peoples used fire to destroy their enemies' crops
and houses, so fire as a crime tool has been around as long as recorded
history and probably before then. And judging by today's arson
statistics, more than a billion dollars worth of property destroyed,
more than 500lives lost and over 76,000 families were displaced from
their homes annually, it is still being used as a major crime tool. It's
bad enough that we have to pay for arson through higher insurance
premiums and taxes due to lost real estate. Let's all be aware of the
problems and make sure that we take steps to keep ourselves from paying
for it with the loss of our homes, our businesses. . . and possibly our
lives.

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**Being a Good Spokesperson**

**Tips for Interviewing**

Whether you are doing a media interview on camera, on the radio or over
the telephone, be aware of the way you appear. Speak clearly, speak in
positive terms, keep your message clear and consistent, and stay in
control of the interview.

When possible, try to get your points across even if the reporter
doesn't ask you directly. It's a good idea to stick to the facts when
being interviewed and stay away from opinions. Here are some guidelines:

**Be Prepared**

Know your material and review related issues that may be tied to your
story. For telephone inter-views, have written material right in front
of you in case you need to check a statistic.

Consider providing the reporter with the Facts Sheet included in this
media kit plus pre-printed quotes to minimize the possibility of factual
error in the story.

It's a good idea to spend time prior to the interview speaking with the
reporter about fire victims in general so they understand the big
picture. Avoid jargon! Don't assume the reporter has any particular
expertise in this area. We've found that most reporters want to do an
accurate, interesting story and they often work on tight deadlines so be
on time yourself!

Tying your message to events in the local area will help you establish
the story's relevance and get on the air. Do some research with local
fire departments and building commissioners.

Decide before the interview what core message you want to communicate
and lead the reporter to that information. Have in mind a strong closing
statement that sums up the most important points you want to
communicate. Repeat this information even if you\'ve already said it
before, because opening and closing statements are the easiest for
editors to locate.

*It's okay to say, "I don\'t know."*

If you are asked a question you don't know the answer to, say so. It is
much better to tell a reporter you don't know than to "guesstimate" and
be embarrassed later. Tell the reporter you'll try to find the answer
and be sure to follow up in a timely manner.

*There's No Such Thing As "Off the Record."*

Speaking off the record with a reporter can be risky and is not
advisable. Stick to the facts and what you plan to address ahead of
time. Professional reporters who have an ethical track record will
sometimes agree to the following ground rules prior to the interview:

> • On the Record: As soon as someone says, I'm a reporter, you are on
> notice that anything you say can be used in print, quoting you by
> name, title and company affiliation.
>
> • Not-for-Attrition: If you want to answer a reporter's question but
> don't want to be quoted by name say so first.
>
> • Off-the-Record: Technically means that you don't want to see the
> information you are providing in print.
>
> • Background: You won't be quoted directly but the reporter can take
> the information you provide and confirm it with another source.

At the end of the interview ask the reporter to read their notes back to
you.

**TV Tips**

Prepare for on-camera interviews, but don't rehearse a script, as the
reporter may arrive with completely different questions than you expect.
Thoroughly review any pertinent information, statistics, etc., and
practice framing answers. Unless you are directed otherwise, look at the
reporter, not into the camera. Maintain eye contact. Don't fidget, use
your hands excessively or rock or swivel in your chair. If you have
access to a video camera, practice with it so you can spot any
characteristics which detract from your ability to communicate or which
make you seem insincere.

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**\[Request for Interview\]**

\[Date\]

\[Name of Writer/Editor/Producer\]

\[Name of Newspaper, TV Network, etc.\]

Street Address\]

\[City, State, Zip\]

Dear \[Writer/Editor/Producer's Name\]:

I \[read/watched/listened\] with interest \[name of article/piece/show\]
written by \[author's name here, if you want to reach the editor instead
of the writer\] in today's \[name of the publication/TV or radio show\]
on \[arson/fire\]. \[You might praise a potion of the story to convince
the writer/editor/producer you have read/watched/listened to the piece
carefully\].

Arson is Not a Victimless crime!

In 2000, the number of victims killed due to arson fires was more than
500, a 36.5 percent increase from 1999. Injuries sustained in fires for
that year were 22,350.

Arson is one of the costliest crimes facing our nation today. Because of
arson we pay for it in higher property insurance premiums . . . and in
higher taxes to make up for the taxes lost from businesses that close
down after a fire, and in the reduced market value of the surrounding
properties.

But that's not all. We also pay for it in costs that can't be measured
in dollars . . . in lives lost . . .in thousands of arson survivors who
end up physically or emotionally scarred . . . in insurance claims for
law enforcement, fire service and emergency medical service personnel
injured while responding to these events . . . in gutted buildings that
were once thriving businesses and are now havens for drug dealers,
prostitutes and other criminals . . . and in the added fear of crime.

That's why the first week of May each year has been designated National
Arson Awareness Week, to raise America's consciousness of the problem.
This year's theme is "Arson is NOT a Victimless Crime." The United
States Fire Administration is working with the International Association
of Arson Investigators. Partnering with these two organizations is the
Insurance Committee on Arson Control (ICAC); the International
Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) and the International
Association of Chiefs of Police.

An article on National Arson Awareness Week would make an excellent
popular story.

If you are interested I would be happy to arrange an interview with an
appropriate person from our organization. I can be reached at \[phone
number\].

Thank you for your consideration

\[Name, Address and Phone Number\]

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**Arson Awareness Week News Release**

\[Use your letterhead\]

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Contact: \[insert name of local Arson Awareness Week Committee Chair\]

Phone: \[insert contact's phone number\]

Fax \[insert contact's fax number\]

**UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION AND INTERNATIONAL**

**ASSOCIATION OF ARSON INVESTIGATORS ANNOUNCE ARSONAWARENESS WEEK**

\[CITY\], \[STATE\], \[DATE\]--The United States Fire Administration
(USFA) and the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
have teamed up to promote arson awareness around the country.

May 5-11, 2002 has been designated National Arson Awareness Week, to
raise America's consciousness of this most costly of all fires and the
steps that are being taken to combat it. This year's theme is **"Arson
is NOT a victimless crime."**

The USFA and the IAAI would like to educate the public on arson and also
to get them involved in how they can help by reporting suspicious
activities, seeking help for children involved in firesetting and
reducing firesetting opportunities.

Each year there are over 500 civilian lives lost to arson fires. The
property damaged from intentionally set fires is almost 2 billion
dollars.

Steps that can be taken to reduce the incidents of arson:

• If you know or suspect that an arson crime has been committed,
contract your local fire or police department.

• If you suspect a child is setting fires notify the proper authorities,
it may not be "just a phase" they are going through. Keep matches and
lighters out of reach and out of sight of young children.

• Report suspicious activity near houses or other buildings to the local
police and support Neighborhood Watch programs.

-more-

• Keep leaves, firewood, overgrown brush and shrubbery and other
combustibles away from buildings. Most arson fires are started outdoors.
Don't make it easy for an arsonist to start a fire or easy for an
outdoor fire to spread to a building.

• Keep doors and windows locked when a building is unoccupied. But don't
use double cylinder deadbolt locks without keeping a key nearby, bars
without quick release mechanisms, or other security provisions that
could trap a person in a building with a deadly fire.

Remember: **Arson is NOT a Victimless Crime!**

For additional information on arson prevention, call the International
Association of Arson Investigators, Inc. (314) 739-4224 or your local
state chapter at \[insert chapter contact phone number.\]

\[Insert a brief description of the state chapter, local organization or
agency sending out this release\].

If your business group or community organization would like to have
someone speak, free of charge, at an upcoming function on the arson
problem and what's being done, contact \[insert the contact's name,
address and/or phone number\].

\###

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**Tips on Writing an Effective Letter to the Editor**

Every day the newspapers are filled with articles and editorials
concerning arson. As you read, notice how the issues are presented, and
consider these three questions:

1.  How do I feel about what is being said?

2.  Is there information not contained in the article or editorial that
    is necessary to understanding the issue?

3.  Is the information accurate?

The answer to these questions will help you decide how to respond to
press coverage through letters to the editor. The editorial pages give
you the opportunity to speak out on the arson and fraud issues that
concern you. In a letter to the editor you can:

1\. Correct inaccurate or misleading coverage.

2\. Write to educate or inform readers.

3\. Agree or disagree with a position previously expressed.

4\. Voice your opinions on issues you feel strongly about.

5\. Persuade readers to act in a specific way.

Here are some hints to help you express your views more effectively.

1\. The influence of your communication depends on how well you make
your point. Make sure that your letter is clear and concise. The reader
may lose interest in a long, rambling letter.

2\. Support your arguments with specific examples or statistical
evidence.

3\. Use your knowledge to help increase the public's understanding of
the arson problem.

4\. Don't insult or attack the reporter, the paper, or the author of the
piece to which you are responding. The purpose of your letter is to
correct inaccurate materials or disagree with a person's view, not to
personally offend the writer. A letter that is positive, reasonable and
offers solutions or alternatives is generally more effective.

5\. Proofread your letter carefully.

6\. Remember to include your name, address and phone number. This is
important because most newspapers will want to contact you to verify
that you wrote the letter. The paper will not publish your address and
phone number, just your name and association.

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height="0.3333333333333333in"}

**Sample Editorial**

**ARSON IS [NOT]{.underline} A VICTIMLESS CRIME**

Every 18 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the
United States.

The number of fires public fire departments attended to in the year
2000, was 1,708,000.

Of these fires, 75,000 were intentionally set structure fires and 46,500
were intentionally set vehicle fires. If you add in the brush fires,
rubbish fires and other fires that are set, the total number of arson
fires each year reaches over half a million. About one in every four
fires is intentionally set.

Arson fires kill an estimated 500 people each year. It also destroys
almost \$2 billion worth of property.

Firefighters around the country do the very best they can with short
budgets and even shorter public attention spans. They are our true
heroes, day in and day out. But they can't do it alone.

Fighting arson effectively takes the entire community. A coordinated
effort by local, state and federal governments and the insurance
industry.

Education programs have been developed, community outreach has been
increased, and firefighters everywhere say they are starting to notice a
difference.

One opportunity to make our community more aware of the fight against
arson begins May 5-11,2002. It's called National Arson Awareness Week,
and the theme this year is "Arson is NOT a Victimless Crime."

I.J. Kranats, CFI, President of the International Association of Arson
Investigators recently stated" Arson continues to be a major crime,
world-wide, which impacts all of us. It is a crime that has taken too
many victims; destroyed too much property; and eroded the tax base in
too many communities. We can and must act together to eradicate this
serious crime by insisting on more aggressive investigations, better
insurance underwriting and tougher sentencing of convicted arsonists."

Arson wears many faces. Arson is a troubled kid with the lighter . . . a
hate monger with an ax to grind . . . a gang member seeking to prove his
toughness . . . an urban disease that eats away at the core of our
cities . . . and pestilence that further blights poor rural communities.

Those statistics are frightening--and sobering. National Arson Awareness
Week should make all of us perk up our ears and respond to our local
fire departments call for community support in the war against arson.
Arson awareness means teaching kids about the dangers of fire, asking
parents to control their kids' access to matches and cigarette lighters,
and urging all adults to set a good example for kids.

Fire departments offer classes to teach kids about the dangers of
playing with fire. That can also help parents who suspect their children
may be setting fires by referring them to professionals who specialize
in helping disturbed children and families in crisis. If you have reason
to suspect a child or young adult has a problem with fire, don't
hesitate to call your local fire station and ask for help. A child who
exhibits tendencies toward arson deserves a "tough love" response from
parents, teachers and friends. Juveniles who actually commit arson
deserve a hard-nosed "tough luck" response from the rest of the
community.

The most effective way of combating arson, of course, is simply to
prevent it from happening. That takes more than just federal dollars, it
takes bodies of committed people. Everyone in the Greater\[insert name
of city\] area needs to get involved in this worthy cause. Working
together, we can make real progress stemming this serious crime.
Remember: **Arson is NOT a Victimless Crime.**

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="3.8645833333333335in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}

**Preparing For An Interview**

1\. Gather Background:

\_\_ ID reporter

\_\_ Name

\_\_ Phone/FAX number

\_\_ Experience

\_\_ Previous work

\_\_ Slant/Approach/Angle

\_\_ Specific questions (but don\'t expect only those):

\_\_ ID outlet

\_\_ Reputation

\_\_ Agenda

\_\_ Circulation/Audience

\_\_ Deadline:

\_\_ Any background you need to provide:

2\. Determining Interviewee ("Subject Matter Expert")

\_\_ Available?

\_\_ Broad knowledge?

\_\_ Media trained?

\_\_ Experienced with media?

\_\_ People oriented?

\_\_ Able to explain in clear, general terms?

3\. Location

\_\_ Appropriate/Representative

\_\_ Sanitized

\_\_ Sensitized

\_\_ No distractions

\_\_ Seating

\_\_ Lighting

\_\_ Special requirements:

4.  Expectations (Ground Rules):

Attribution category:

\_\_ On record for full attribution (Strongly recommended)

\_\_ Time limit

\_\_ Subject boundaries

\_\_ Background information (Press kit, bio, fact sheets)

\_\_ Recording?

5\. Develop Q&A

\_\_ Opening statement: who, what, where, when, how? (Two or three
sentences/30 seconds)

\_\_ Impact on operations/decisions?

\_\_ Safety (further damage/injury) concern.

\_\_ Prevention of further incidents?

\_\_ Why/Cause?

\_\_ "How could you have allowed to happen?"

\_\_ Happened before? (Similar incidents?)

\_\_ Accept responsibility?

\_\_ Response/Statement to those affected?

\_\_ Amount/Extent/Cost of damage?

6\. Develop Messages

Categories:

\_\_ Safety

\_\_ Sympathy

\_\_ Investigation

\_\_ Admit mistake(s)

\_\_ Restitution

\_\_ Performance (personnel/equipment)

\_\_ Isolated incident?

Techniques:

\_\_ Get out in front of reporter; take lead. ("Hook")

\_\_ Audience should know/remember . . . .

\_\_ What/Why important.

\_\_ Tie-in with larger issues.

\_\_ Package in memorable quotations or sound bites

\_\_ Analogies ("Compare with . . . ." Think of a . . . .")

\_\_ Bridging phrases:

"Broader perspective"

"More important concern"

"Another issue"

"Not the real issue"

"Equally important question."

7\. Final Preparation

Interviewee techniques:

\_\_ Vary pace

\_\_ Energized and confident

\_\_ Emphasize key word/phrases/points ("Flagging")

\_\_ Common language. (Avoid service jargon and technical terminology.
Explain if you must use.)

Visual aids?

\_\_ Maps

\_\_ Charts

\_\_ Statistics

\_\_ Graphs

\_\_ Samples

\_\_ Visits

\_\_ Videos

\_\_ Photos

Appearance

Posture:

\_\_ Sit straight

\_\_ Head up (Maintain eye contact)

\_\_ Feet on floor or cross legs at knee toward interviewer.

Details:

\_\_ Light-color shirt

\_\_ Dull brass

\_\_ Clear-lens glasses

\_\_ No cover (hat) if possible

\_\_ Accept makeup

Practice (murder board?)

Handling Hard Questions:

\_\_ Off subject

\_\_ Out of territory

\_\_ Relating to other incidents

Repeating negative words/phrases in responding

\_\_ Challenge/False premise

\_\_ Boxed in by having to choose from unattractive alternatives

\_\_ Rumors say . . .

\_\_ Multi-part questions.

\_\_ Advice to senior or other service/organization

\_\_ "Must be tough/hard/difficult/exasperating to . . ."

\_\_ Putting words in mouth

\_\_ Non-truth or distortion to elicit response

\_\_ Relating to unrelated incident/circumstance/program

\_\_ Accusations

\_\_ No off-the-cuff remarks (Interview not over until
reporter/camera/microphone gone.)

\_\_ Expect silence (You don\'t have to fill it.)

Final Advice:

\_\_ Be polite

\_\_ Keep your temper

\_\_ Be helpful

\_\_ Be certain of the question

\_\_ If you don't know, say so. Offer to find out; task PAO.

\_\_ Be truthful

\_\_ Stay within area of expertise and responsibility

\_\_ Emphasize positive points

\_\_ No personal opinion

\_\_ No speculation ("If/Would/Could/Should . . . ?")

8\. Immediate Follow-up/Feedback

With reporter:

\_\_ Correct any errors or misimpression's

\_\_ Determine whether more info. needed

\_\_ Determine expected run date/time

With interviewee:

\_\_ "How do you (interviewee) think it went?"

\_\_ Messages delivered/received?

\_\_ Effective interview?

\_\_ Suggestions for improvement:

9\. Intermediate Follow-up

\_\_ What else do you need to know/find out?

\_\_ Provide follow-up information

Results reported in/on outlet:

\_\_ Fair/Balanced?

\_\_ Accurate?

\_\_ Complete?

\_\_ In context?

\_\_ Dignified?

\_\_ How played in "living rooms"?

\_\_ Own objective(s) reached?

\_\_ New/More questions raised?

\_\_ Errors or misrepresentation noted:

10\. Long-range follow-up

\_\_ Lessons learned?

\_\_ Corporate memory input.

Corrections required?

\_\_ Morgue

\_\_ Letter to editor

\_\_ Meeting with reporter/editor/publisher

\_\_ File