Parents...

Set a Good Example

Install and maintain smoke detectors 


and fire extinguishers.


Plan and practice home fire escape


drills.


Regularly inspect your home for fire


hazards.


Always use "safety sense" when


making or using fire.


Point out to your children the safety


rules you and others are following


throughout the day.


Teachers, Counselors, &

Community Leaders . . .

Take Responsibility for

Fire Safety

Teach fire safety in pre-school through


high-school programs.


Participate in training to learn about


juvenile firesetters.


Help to raise awareness in your community


about juvenile firesetters.


Know the resources in your community to


help juvenile firesetters -- or help develop


a juvenile firesetters program.


WHERE TO GO FOR HELP!

Your Local Fire Dept.

Your State Fire Services

United States Fire

Administration

JUVENILE

FIRESETTERS

WHAT

YOU

CAN

DO!

UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION 

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY 

L240 11/97
Juvenile Firesetters 

In Rochester, New York, a two year 

old, playing with matches, started 

a fire that took his life and the lives 

of five family members. 

In Roanoke, Virginia, a seven year 

old boy set fire to a chair in an 

abandoned building, the fire spread 

to an adjacent house and trapped an 

elderly woman. 

In Passaic, New Jersey, a firefighter 

was killed and hundreds of people 

lost their homes in a fire started by 

a group of teenage boys. 

These tragic events are not isolated 

incidents. In a typical year, in the 

U.S., 300 people are killed and $300 

million in property is destroyed in 

fires set by children. Children 

themselves are usually the victims 

of these fires accounting for 85 of 

every 100 lives lost. 

The number of fires set by children 

Why Children Set Fires 

Most experts agree that the best way 

to understand firesetting behavior is 

to look at where and why children set 

fires. They believe that there are two 

basic types of children who start fires. 

CURIOSITY FIRESETTERS usually 

are 2-7 year olds whose fascination 

with fire leads them to "play" with it 

to find out how it feels, how it burns, 

and what it does. They do not understand fire's destructive potential. 

Although curiosity is a normal part of 

children's growth and development, 

parents and other adults who discover 

that a child is playing with fire should 

take it very seriously. 

PROBLEM FIRESETTERS can also be 

very young, but generally are 5-17 years 

old. In contrast to the curious firesetter, 

however, these youngsters light fires 

because of emotional or mental 

disturbances ranging from mild to 

severe. A crisis in the child's life, such 

is growing. It is a problem that needs 

the attention of parents, teachers, 

counselors and community leaders, 

in cooperation with fire and law 

enforcement officers. 

as moving to a new area, a divorce or 

death could trigger firesetting behavior. 

Or, a more serious disturbance could be 

the cause. Chronic behaviors such as a 

poor relationship with other children, 

cruelty to animals, and extreme mood 

changes are a few of the traits that data 

on juvenile firesetters has revealed. 

or matches in an unsafe manner in 

your home. 

Never leave stove or candle fires 

unattended 

Teach children to show you any 

unattended matches or lighters they 

find to your attention. 

WHAT


YOU


CAN


DO!


PARENTS . . .


Teach Your Child About Fire


Fire is a tool we use to heat our


homes or cook our food.


It is not a toy.


Fire is dangerous -- it can kill.


All fires -- even small ones -- can


spread quickly.


Even adults must follow special


safety rules for fire.


Control Your Child's Access 

to Fire 

Keep all matches and lighters out


of the reach of children -- even


a 2 year old can operate a 


cigarette lighter.


Never allow anyone to use lighters