The old saying "Kids will be Kids" or "They're just curious",  may actually be the child acting
out against a problem He or She may be having.  Across the Nation there is a growing concern of
Kids experimenting with fire.  There is no community immune to this problem, as we have seen here
in Hastings.
        The Hastings Fire Department recognizes that we do have a need for a Juvenile Intervention
Program.  We have adopted the Juvenile Fire setter Intervention Handbook from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Fire Administration.  Our program is a three-step program.

1. When we receive a call of a child playing with fire, we will go out and do an initial contact with the child and the family.  This is to determine if the child is just curious or that the fire play could be more of a problem.

2. We have a Juvenile Fire Setters Child Risk Survey that we fill out with the child, the parents, and the family unit.  From this Survey we use a formula to determine where the child is "At Risk".

3. From the Child Risk Survey we will determine what type of education or referral to another agency the child will need.

4. We have educational activities for the Juvenile Fire Setter based on age and "At Risk".

   • Educational Intervention for K-2 may include making a poster on "Good Fires, Bad Fires". 

   • Drawing a home escape plan for the  home.

   • Assigned reading emphasizing fire safety.

   • Restitution,  in the way of helping the fire victim around their house, or baking an item and delivering it to the victim,

   • Putting up smoke detectors in the home as a family unit.

   • Educational Intervention for 12 to 17 may include having the youth interview all parties affected by the fire he set.  Writing a  report on the costs incurred, the emotional effects and potential injuries that his fire may have caused.  Forwarding this report onto the court, his counselor, and youth services.

   • Give the youth the opportunity to take responsibility for his or her actions by doing something to benefit the community through community service hours.

        Seven steps to take at once if your child has set a fire.

1. Install smoke detectors in your child's bedroom, closet, hall ways, and common living areas.

2. Find all matches and lighters in the house and lock them up.

3. If you're a smoker, keep your lighter only on your person at all times and only use child resistant lighters.

4. Establish a rule that your child is never to have lighters or matches.

5. Lock up all flammable liquids such as gasoline, lighter fluid, or charcoal starter fluid for barbecues.

6. Forbid children to watch shows, or videos with provocative live fire themes.

7. Increase supervision for fire setting children.  Do not let them play alone or unsupervised in other children's homes where matches or lighters may be easily available.

        Through education on our part and working with the other agencies with in our community we all are looking at making a difference for the future of these children.

        If you have any comments or questions about our Juvenile Fire Setters Program, or you know a child in need, please contact our department.

HASTINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT
c\o Capt. Craig Oswald
1313 N. Hastings Ave.
Hastings, NE   68901
1-402-461-2350    jfiresetters@hastingsfire.org

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