The Facts
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Fires and burns are the leading causes of injury and death to children.
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Children are twice as likely as adults to die in a fire.
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Even toddlers can start a fire with a match or a lighter.
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Of every 100 people who die in child-set fires, 85 are children.
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A firesetter is a child under the age of 18 who has accidentally or purposely set a fire.
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Children " playing" with fire start over 100,000 reported fires annually in the United States.
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Yearly, fires set by youth cause an estimated 350 deaths and over 3,000 injuries.
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Fire protection costs and property loss attributed to youth-set fires exceeds $350 million annually.
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More than 50% of persons arrested for arson are under 18 years old.
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Almost 7% of youth arrested for arson are under the age of 10!
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More than 80% of children who set fires will be repeat offenders if left untreated.
U.S. Fire Administration
Prevent Youth Firesetting National Arson Awareness Week Media Kit
A child's curiosity about fire can be a natural, but dangerous thing. But if the behavior goes beyond curiosity, it may be a sign of something much more serious. The Juvenile Firesetters Intervention Program is designed to help concerned parents, teachers, counselors and other adults recognize dangerous firesetting behavior and learn the appropriate methods for managing the problem.
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One of the first warning signs of a dangerous interest in fire is a fascination with matches or lighters. This behavior can escalate to actual firesetting or other destructive behavior. In fact, figures from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) indicate that 40 percent of the fires set in the United States are started by children, and 50 percent of the child-set fires occur in homes or structures.
The Juvenile Firesetters Intervention Program can help to reduce dangerous fireplay through fire safety education or assistance in determining whether professional counseling might benefit a child. The fire inspectors involved in the program are not counselors, but they are trained to evaluate each child's situation and recommend solutions.