The age, intention and social circumstances of young fire starters often mean they will not benefit from legal consequences, officials said. Therefore, local and state firefighters are trained to stop the behavior with educational programs.
Both Middletown and Hamilton fire departments conduct educational programs for children who have started fires. Instructors, which include firefighters, receive training from the fire prevention bureau of the state fire marshal’s office.
About 40 children have participated in the program since 2005, according to Hamilton Fire Investigator Tom Angst.
“We have had only a one repeat,” Angst said.
The key is structuring the class or classes, depending on the child, to an age group and getting the parents or guardian on board, he said. Most classes last one hour, and depending on the outcome, several sessions may be included.
Scheduled to take part in Hamilton’s program soon are the two boys, ages 8 and 11, who set the Campbell Avenue garage fires as well as a 9-year-old boy who set fire to a piece of paper that spread to a toy box and eventually heavily damaged his room.
Middletown Fire Marshal Bob Hess said he always stresses parents must keep lighters and matches out the reach of children. He also recommends adults not even use the objects in front of children because young ones often want to imitate their parents.
“They have seen mommy and daddy started a fire in a fire pit or have seen siblings light a fire,” Hess said. “They want to be like their big brother and sister or mom and dad.”
For children in the educational program, the focus is on teaching right from wrong, Hess said. In cases involving very young children, some only 3 or 4 years old, this usually involves coloring and drawing exercises.
“With most kids, it is more curiosity about fire rather than a vandalism situation that involves intent,” Hess said, adding that the Middletown fire starter program averages two to three participants per year.
For older children, the focus becomes about how setting fires can effect their lives.
Lt. Dean Mason, Hamilton program instructor, said a video featuring a man who began setting fires as a child and who is badly scarred from burns he suffered in a blaze he started often gets the attention of older children.
“We tell them burns are forever. They know what this man can no longer do, like play sports and everything else,” Mason said.
“It is about gaining trust. I don’t raise my voice and scare tactics don’t work,” Mason said, but he said teaching about the reality of what happens when people play with fire makes an impression.
Angst said it is also important to address the child’s environment and living situation. Starting fires can be a symptom of abuse or neglect, he said.
One child identified as a fire starter was living in a home with a known prostitute because his father, who had custody, was in prison.
“He had no love, no kindness, really received no attention at all,” Angst said. “The setting of the fire in that case was a symptom, not the root cause of the problem.”
While Angst said he has and will cite juveniles into court for starting fires, education of both the child and parents is really the most effective plan of action.
“Child fire-setting is typical, maybe even normal, but that doesn’t make it right,” said Rich Palmer, Assistant Chief and Fire Safety Educator Supervisor at Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal.
The majority of children who play with fire are boys, Palmer said, noting males are have more inherent risk taking behavior.
“Boys want to see the action,” he said. “Girls tend to be more cerebral before taking action.”
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