PROTECTING STRUCTURES

ILLUMINATE EXTERIOR AND ENTRANCES.

Install lights covering all sides of the building

including the parking lots. Motion activated

lighting, which is very inexpensive, should be

placed near the entrances. Don’t advertise that

the building is empty. Interior lights on timers

give the illusion that the building is occupied.

PAINT BUILDINGS A LIGHT COLOR.

Arsonists work mostly at night. Buildings with

a dark exterior provide many hiding places for

arsonists.

INSTALL BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM

SYSTEMS THAT TRANSMIT A MESSAGE.

Alarm devices can be inexpensively wired

through the telephone circuits to transmit an

alarm to the police or fire department. Check

the cost of contracting with a security firm for

response to alarms.

HAVE YOUR HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

SYSTEMS CHECKED SEMI-ANNUALLY.

Ensure that your electrical service is adequate

for current demands.
TRIM, OR REMOVE SHRUBBERY AND SIGNS THAT

OBSTRUCT THE VIEW OF THE BUILDING FROM THE

STREET.

Make sure that nothing blocks the view of the

building. During the growing season, bushes and

trees may need to be trimmed frequently.

KEEP DOORS LOCKED AND BOLTED WITH

HINGE-PINS ON THE INSIDE.

Most buildings have too many keyed doors. Reduce

the number of keyed doors and keep a record of

who has a key. If you don’t know who has a key to

your building, change the locks. If a key is lost,

change the locks. It is generally not necessary to

have more than one or two doors with key locks.

All other doors should be equipped with dead bolts

or, in assembly areas, panic hardware that will

permit exiting when doors are locked.

KEEP WINDOWS LOCKED, BARRED OR

PROTECTED WITH WIRE SCREENS.

The hardware used to lock windows can sometimes

be easily forced with a credit card or other tool. The

best type of window hardware has spring-loaded

bolts that insert through the window frame into the

wall frame. If bars are used on windows in

congregation areas, make certain they can be

released from the inside, in the event the window is

needed as an emergency escape.
RESTRICT ACCESS TO THE ROOF AND UPPER

FLOORS.

Nothing is gained by protecting windows and

doors at ground level if trespassers have easy

access to upper floors. Install fire escapes or stairs

that cannot be accessed at ground level. If an

exterior stairway exists, close the property with a

fence and locked gate.

CONSIDER FENCING THE PROPERTY.

Churches and public buildings generally provide

an open welcoming facade, but it is not necessary

that the back and sides also provide easy access.

Privacy fences provide arsonists privacy. Woven

wire fences with locked gates are a better choice.

DESIGNATE A LIAISON TO ESTABLISH A

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE AND FIRE

SERVICES.

Initiate a fire reporting procedure. Post names

and telephone numbers of contact persons on or

near the door for use by the fire or police

departments in the event of a break-in or fire.

Involve the police and fire departments and your

insurance agent in your arson prevention

activities. Call your local police and fire

departments to request a fire prevention and

security evaluation. This may result in a reduction

of your insurance premiums.
BE WARY OF STRANGERS.

Ask strangers to identify themselves - the

innocent will not mind. Register guests and

remove the registry from the building each night.

Check the credentials of service personnel asking

permission to enter. If in doubt, call their company

to verify their identity. After many arson fires,

neighbors remember that they were suspicious of a

person or car but did not know what to do, or

whom to call. Educate residents and neighbors

regarding suspicious activity and what to do if they

have concerns. Encourage them to make a record

of the suspicious activity including: the date and

time; a description of vehicles, license numbers,

and persons; and immediately call the local police.

ESTABLISH A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM.

The probability of arson increases during exciting

holidays or celebrations as f Halloween, 4th of July,

New Year’s Eve, and major athletic events, as well

as during periods of social unrest. During these

events, there is a need for heightened awareness

and surveillance. A rotating schedule of volunteer

members to either stand watch, or provide

irregularly scheduled patrols can be very effective.
CLEAN HOUSE.

The boiler room or heating room of many public

buildings is a storehouse of unused and

unneeded paper, trash, cleaning supplies, partial

cans of paint and other materials that make a

bonfire of the structure when arranged by the

arsonist. Store all flammables, paint, gasoline,

mowers, etc. outside in a locked storage building.

MAKE A MEDIA EVENT OF YOUR EFFORTS.

Arsonists seldom strike facilities that are ready for

them.

ARSON PREVENTION CLEARINGHOUSE

To request additional information or

publications call the National Arson Prevention

Clearinghouse toll-free 1-888-60.-3100.

To report an arson fire call your local fire and

police departments.

To provide information or to request an

investigation of a suspected arson fire, call the

Department of the Treasury's Bureau of

Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 1-888-ATF-FIRE.
Federal Emergency Management Agency

National Arson Prevention Clearinghouse

16825 South Seton Avenue

Emmitsburg, MD 21727
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Available fire and arson grants

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