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Juvenile Firesetter Program

Juvenile firesetting has been identified as the fastest growing fire threat in the United States. Annual statistics show that more than 300 people are killed, and nearly $300 million dollars in property is destroyed by fires set by children. More than 30-percent of the victims are the children themselves.

CHILDREN AND FIRE CAN BE A DEADLY COMBINATION - THE FACTS

• Nearly 34-percent of the victims of child-set fires are the children themselves.
• Nationally, playing with fire is the leading cause of death in residential fires for young children.
• At home, children often play with fire in the bedroom – where lots of things catch on fire easily.
• Older children frequently play with fire outside the home, at the bus stop, or in vacant lots.
• Children are under the false impression that they can control the fires they set.
• Many children who set fires lack both parental supervision and fire safety education.
• Juveniles account for more than 50-percent of all arson arrests in the United States.
• Nationally, children who play with fire cause nearly 80,000 structure fires per year which result in approximately 760 deaths and more than 3,500 injuries.
• Juvenile firesetting does an estimated 1.2 Billion dollars in damage annually.
• It only takes about two-minutes for the flame from a single match to set an entire room on fire, and less than five minutes for that fire to overtake an entire house.
• Juvenile arson and youth-set fires result in over 300 deaths and 2,000 injuries annually, and $300 million in property damage and more than 400,000 incidents annually (USFA)
• Children playing with fire cause 40 percent of residential fire-related deaths among children. 

BURN INSTITUTE FORMS
SAN DIEGO COUNTY JFS COALITION

The Burn Institute has been providing San Diego County residents with fire and burn prevention programs since 1972. The Juvenile Fire Setter Program is one of several programs designed to educate children ages 4-17 about fire and its consequences. The Juvenile Fire Setter Program is available for families during the week and once a month on Saturdays. There are four Burn Institute Juvenile Fire Setter Interventionists on staff.

Every year the Burn Institute services over 250 children and their families with juvenile fire setting intervention. The Burn Institute is in the process of developing a Juvenile Fire Setter Coalition to collaborate and better meet the needs of the community. Currently, representatives from organizations such as Fire Departments, San Diego County’s District Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Forensics Services (SD County), San Diego County Office of Education, U.C.S.D. Regional Burn Center, County Mental Health, the San Diego County Fire Chiefs’ Association and other community members are actively involved.

If you are interested in attending our meetings at the Burn Institute, contact Aida Flores, Director of Program Services for a meeting schedule. 858.541.2277 ext. 13 or .