SOS FIRES: Youth Intervention Programs
The Youth Firesetting Intervention Resource Site

 

 

 


Please review this section for articles of interest.  We are continually searching for articles which will be of value to those who work with child firesetting behavior.  If you find or have written an article or have information which you feel would benefit others, please click HERE to submit it for consideration. 

Below, you will find a brief description of these articles.  They are hyperlinked to the entire article.  SOS FIRES thanks you for visiting our site and we hope you found our service useful. 

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Article Listing

 

Research Reports

Program Development/Maintenance

Articles of Interest

Press Releases

SOS FIRES Press Releases
Does your community need a press release to gain the attention of the media?  Try one of ours.  You can either use the information it contains or contact us to send it under our letterhead.  We can join forces with your community to be a voice supporting intervention services.

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SOS FIRES "Family Interview Study" - 2003 FEMA Fire Safety and Prevention Grant
by SOS FIRES

Read the results of SOS FIRES research grant that resulted from the 2003 Fire Safety and Prevention grant program from FEMA.  A continuation of the 2002 project added fifty-seven families, all of whom had children involved in firesetting intervention programs, were given in-depth interviews about various issues related to parental and youth behaviors.  The results tell a great deal about behavior but future projects will focus on the interpretation of this valuable information. 

SOS FIRES "Family Interview Study" - 2002 FEMA Fire Safety and Prevention Grant
by SOS FIRES

Read the results of SOS FIRES research grant that resulted from the 2002 Fire Safety and Prevention grant program from FEMA.  Sixty families, all of whom had children involved in firesetting intervention programs, were given in-depth interviews about various issues related to parental and youth behaviors.  The results provide some interesting recommendations for current and future intervention programs.  

SOS FIRES Juvenile Firesetting Research Project 2000
by SOS FIRES

This is the summary of the research project recently completed by SOS FIRES.  It adds unique insight into the child firesetting/juvenile arson problem by analyzing firesetting behavior within developmental age categories.  See if all the work was worth the time.

The Interaction Between Juvenile School Firesetting and Bullying: An Exploratory Study
by Amy Sharp, Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, and Janet Boberg

This is an exploration of indicators common to school firesetting and regarding their experiences with bullying and being bullied.  Study subjects are between the ages of 5 and 17.  Explore this emerging topic on youth behavior and how it relates to firesetting. 

 

Parents of Preschool Fire Setters: Perceptions of the Child-Play Fire Hazard  
by Carol Pollack-Nelson, Donna M. Faranda, Don Porth, and Nicholas K. Lim

This article, published in the "International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion," explores parental perceptions of firesetting behavior among preschool age children.  The dangers which parents perceive can dictate the access, supervision, and ultimate safety of the children under their care.  Read on to see what this unique article shares for with the interventionist. 

An Examination of Juvenile Firesetting and the Reasons Kids Set Fires
by G. Scott Burlin

This paper examines the motivational characteristics of kids firesetting behaviors.  It will explore and compare previous categorization of motivations using a population of firesetting youth in a noted program.  

International Approaches to Reducing Deliberately Lit Fires: Prevention Programmes 
by Samantha Haines, Dr. Ian Lambie, and Associate Professor Fred Seymour

The aim of this research was to identify and review the implementation, operation, key elements, and success of programmes in place to prevent deliberately lit fires in New Zealand and overseas.  This report explores the prevention programmes currently operating for people who deliberately light fires in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Canada.  It also investigates what experiences arsonists in New Zealand may have with prevention initiatives over the course of their life and their perception of what might prevent people from deliberately lighting fires.  This report has 156 pages.

When Do Children "Know Better?"
by Don Porth - SOS FIRES: Youth Intervention Programs

Consider the statement often heard by parents "...he knew better than to play with fire."  If a child knew better, then they wouldn't engage in the behavior.  Read on for this perspective on this perplexing statement. 

National Fire Academy Course Delivery for Juvenile Firesetting Intervention Specialist Level I and II  
by SOS FIRES

Have you wondered how many JFIS Level I and II courses have been delivered?  Have you wondered how many professionals have been trained?  Check out this article to see how big the movement for knowledge has been.

An Exploratory Case Study of the Self-Reported Motivations of Students Who Set Fires
by Janet A. Boberg 

This is a dissertation written by an experienced professional interventionist with the Phoenix Fire Department.  It explores the admitted firesetting behaviors and motivations of 8-17 year old students who set fires in their schools.  It contrasts the findings of today with those of past studies with some interesring results and some compelling recommendations, particularly to schools.  This paper is approximately 230 pages, so be prepared when printing it out.

Call For Action on Novelty Lighters Resembling Toys
by Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office

The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program advocates a call for action on novelty lighters that resemble toys. Although novelty lighters are subject to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) safety standard for cigarette lighters, children cannot discriminate a toy from a fire tool that resembles a toy. This issue contains a photo gallery of the many novelty lighters collected by OSFM’s JFSI program and urges the fire service to write CPSC to prohibit their sale in the U.S.

Developing and Managing Youth Firesetting Intervention Programs
By SOS FIRES (Don Porth, Niki Periera, Lisa Lapsansky) 

If you are developing or reviewing a youth firesetting intervention program, this is a must-read article.  It provides valuable insight into the basic, yet essential elements of successful programs as well as a blueprint for success. This presents the most current terminologies and ideas on programming for success

OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin May 2005
OJJDP

This newsletter from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention focuses on research developed by the National Association of State Fire Marshal's.  It offers an interesting perspective on the youth firesetting issue and research supporting intervention services.

Firesetting, Cruelty to Animals Tied to Poor Parenting
Rueters

This summary is derived from the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, July 2004.  It provides an interesting outlook on combined behaviors that have ties to firesetting behaviors.

The Portland Report 02 - Part 1, Text - Part 2, Appendices
By Don Porth

This is the annual report produced by Portland (Oregon) Fire and Rescue.  It contains program facts and elements as well as the accumulated data from the past 12 years (almost 5,000 program participants).  Visit this sampling of a program that began service in 1986.  This file is in a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file.  If you are unable to open it or would like a paper copy, contact Don Porth at dporth@fire.ci.portland.or.us or 503-823-3615. This is a large file that takes several minutes to open.

Conference Report: Youth Firesetting - An International Concern
By Lisa Lapsansky

Enjoy this write up of the January 24-25, 2003 conference which convened intervention professionals from around the globe.  Many issues are the same, regardless of geography.  Others are different.  Find out if any other nation has managed to find the key to youth firesetting behavior.  

Comparable Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Programs - A Utilization Focused Evaluation
by Rodney Hitzfelder

Rodney Hitzfelder examines two noted intervention programs from San Antonio, Texas and Portland, Oregon. The two programs are examined and compared for several factors. Program histories and profiles of a typical client of each program are detailed for comparison purposes. Extensive interviews with key personnel in both programs provided relevant data for comparative purposes and for critical recommendations.  The final recommendation section of this report puts forth a mechanism to begin sample testing the effectiveness of current programs with the hope that future researchers will continue to move towards such an effective system.  This PDF file takes several minutes to open.

A Tangled Web: Responders Struggle to Stop Juvenile Firesetting
by Dali Hoover

Dali Hoover offers an excellent article, reprinted from the professional journal "Every Second Counts."  It highlights the opinions of professionals from across the US regarding the challenges of today's programming.  Read this interesting perspective.  The article is in an Adobe Acrobat format.  If you are unable to open this, contact SOS FIRES to access another format.

A Survey of the Disposition, Affinity, Interest and Experience with Fire of Students in the City of Greater Sudbury 
By Andre Cotterall, B.A./M.A.

This report describes the findings of a survey initiated by the City of Greater Sudbury Fire Services.  It intends to provide information on the issue of fire-play among elementary and high school students.  The City of Greater Sudbury is the largest centre in Northeaster Ontario.  The survey itself is based on a sample of 3,031 students from grade 3-13 during the fall of 2002.  It was administered in 11 different regions of the city and represented 4 different school boards covering 34 schools.  Read the summary of this project and find out how to obtain the complete copy of the report.

You Can Prevent A Child's First Fire
By Carolyn E. Kourofsky, Robert Crandall, and Robert E. Cole, Ph.D.

Who is in the best position to prevent a child from playing with fire?  How about the front line firefighters.  The folks at Fireproof Children Inc. believe this and have many years of experience to back up their opinion.   Review this article to see if you agree and the important tools they have developed to help make kids safer.

The Development of an Education Program Effective in Reducing the Fire Deaths of Preschool Children
By Sharon Gamache and Don Porth

Each year in the United States, an estimated 700 children aged five and under die in home fires. Representing 20 percent of the fire deaths each year, this age group has a fire risk that is double the national average. Children playing with matches and lighters and other fire sources started about 91,810 fires per year from 1993 through 1997, which resulted in an estimated 338 deaths and 2,624 injuries each year. Preschool children are the most frequent victims of fires started by children playing with matches or lighters. The article address a way to approach solutions to this segment of the fire problem.

Firesetting and Youth: A New Learning Resource for Kids
By Marilyn Lamb, Paula Cook, and Marc Proulx

Three professionals in Manitoba, Canada put their heads together to develop a book to address their growing concerns about the lack of resources for firesetting youth with learning disabilities.  They even solicited the help of other challenged students to come up with a final product that is unique and effective.  Learn how their effort resulted in a resource you can order through this article.  

CPSC Report: Fires Caused By Children Playing With Lighters
By Linda E. Smith, Michael A. Greene, and Harpreet A. Singh

How effective was the child-resistant lighter legislation that went into effect in July of 1994?  The Consumer Product Safety Commission has released a study that shows whether or not engineered safety features have really worked.   See the results here.

Lighter Sales Ordinance
By Harlan Lundstrom

A town in Minnesota has found a way to enact an ordinance limiting the sales of lighters.  Is this a step your community could take?   Visit this page and see what was involved. 

There Are No Medals For Common Sense
By Vina Drennan

John Drennan, husband of Vina and a New York City Fire Department Captain, died in a fire.  Seeing the preventability of this tragedy, Mrs. Drennan has become an outspoken advocate for fire prevention programs, which must begin within the fire service.  Read this amazing article and share the  perspective of Vina Drennan and the challenge she makes to the fire service.

Juvenile Firesetters: An Exploratory Analysis
By Michael Slavkin, Ph.D.

This is a Doctoral Thesis that explores the use of the U.S. Fire Administration Forms and their application in a county-wide program in Indiana.   It provides a very interesting perspective and some important considerations if you now use, or plan to use, the U.S. Fire Administration "Fire Risk" forms. 

Juvenile Firesetting - An Appropriate Response?
By Damian Smith

A new perspective from the United Kingdom is offered in this article.  It questions the way in which professionals respond to the youth firesetting issue drawing on some significant, existing research. 

Young People With Matches and Lighters: What Should We Call It?
By Paul Schwartzman M.S., D.A.P.A.

What terminology should be used to describe children who (mis)use fire?  In some cases, the resulting definitions benefit information gathering on these youth.  In other cases, it limits the options available to these children.   Read this article and find out how to have your opinion heard.

A False Sense Of Security
By Paul Bahr

Paul Bahr has submitted this thesis, which investigates the issues which contribute to young children accessing and using cigarette lighters and lighting what may be, potentially catastrophic fires resulting in property loss, serious injury and even death.  Paul presents an interesting perspective that demonstrates that youth firesetting is a global problem that is the same in Australia as it is in North America.

School Fires - The Need To Report
by the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal

With only a small portion of the school fires being properly reported, it can be difficult to grasp the full magnitude of the youth fire problem in a community.  The State Fire Marshal's Office in Oregon has helped spearhead ways to address this age-old problem. 

Psychological and Educational Services Reduce Childrens' Involvement With Fire
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

New research from the University of Pittsburgh suggests that structured treatments designed specifically to intervene with children who set fires are more effective in the long term than a brief service in which a firefighter visits the child's home, a commonly used intervention for child fire setters.

ADD and Firesetting: The Connection
by Carol Rea

ADD and firesetting behavior are often seen as complimentary behaviors.  Is this true or just a myth?  Carol Rea offers some interesting perspective about the connections some have seen between these two circumstances.   What do you think?

Reporting School Fires
by Karen S. Jones

School fires and youth related arson are a growing concern across North America.  A Deputy Fire Marshal from the Washington State Fire Marshal's Office offers some some thoughts and facts to support a fire prevention week effort to curb this growing problem.

Community Accountability Conferences
by Brian Enright

The director of the Community Accountability Conferencing Project from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan offers an alternative look at conventional intervention practices.  This approach involves the entire community in the community problem of youth firesetting intervention.

Juvenile Firesetting Intervention: Interviewing/Screening Tools
by SOS FIRES

Have you ever wondered if there are other Interviewing/Screening tools for juvenile firesetting intervention available?  Well, now you can find out.  Visit this special portion of our site to see what the choices are.  If you have a form that you would like to display, please contact SOS FIRES to have it considered.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Juvenile Firesetting
by Don Porth

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and juvenile firesetting behavior have become the source of a great deal of discussion.   Unfortunately, little has been done to either connect or disconnect the two.   Check out this article and see if you think there really is or is not a connection.  

Juvenile Firesetting Review Boards
by Jeffrey A. Sterrett

A community approach to juvenile firesetting intervention is definitely the best course of action.  Jeff Sterrett explains how his community in Delaware has taken this to a new level of involvement and professionalism.  Can your community learn from their example?

The Arson of Ray DeFord
by Don Porth

Eleven year old Ray DeFord set a fire in an Aloha, Oregon apartment building that took the lives of 3 adults and 5 children.  Although he stood trial for arson and murder, his case may not be as clear cut as it would seem.   Review the article and see if you find any themes that may help your community deal with a similar event.

Lighters: The Fire Source Of Choice
by R.H. (Rusty) Foerger

This is an insightful article that discusses the relationship of lighters to child firesetting behavior.  It provides the perspective of one of the leading juvenile firesetting intervention programs in North America.   Read on to find what impact lighters really have on firesetting behavior.

The Truth About Arson
by Dr. John Hall Jr.

This article is reprinted from the November/December 1998 edition of NFPA Journal.  Explore important issues about arson and how it relates to juveniles.  Particular notice should be given to the age of juveniles discussed within this article.  What age does constitute arson?

Arson And Juveniles: Responding To The Violence
by Paul Schwartzman, Hollis Stambaugh, John Kimball

This article was funded by the United States Fire Administration.  It looks at a sampling of children from across the United States and investigates the impact of intentional firesetting by teenagers ages 14-18.  

Is Your Program A MATCH For Firesetters?
by Rick Van Marter-Sanders

This article discusses the labels associated with firesetting behavior and the comprehensive management of the behavior from a treatment provider perspective. 

Juvenile Firesetting - A 4 Year Perspective
by Don Porth

This article offers a detailed look at the firesetting behavior or 551 children who participated in the Portland (Oregon) Fire Bureau's Juvenile Firesetter Program.  It explores nine behavior points and looks at the differences in firesetting behavior based on age and level of concern (as determined through the use of the USFA's assessment instrument).

Society's Influence On Juvenile Firsetting
by Don Porth and Lisa Lapsansky

Our society is a great contributor to the apathy for fire and fire safety.   This article explores the ways in which our society uses (and misuses) fire which can cause very mixed and confusing messages for children.  Also, it relates findings regarding the prevalence of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder among children seen by one juvenile firesetting intervention program.

Youth Firesetting: Collaboration Between Teachers And Fire Service Personnel For Early Identification And Intervention 
by Jamie Fry

How can collaboration between teachers and the fire service increase the safety of children where they live and learn?  Read this thought provoking article for some ideas.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Juvenile Firesetter Program
by Marilyn Arnlund

This article began its life as a project for a National Fire Academy class but proved a valuable piece of work to prove that evaluation is indeed a necessary part of an effective juvenile firesetting program.

Children With Fire
by Don Porth

This is an editorial article that asks why more is not being done to quell youth firesetting behavior.  It challenges the fire service to take a lead role and work to reduce this dangerous behavior.


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