The Cherry Hill Fire Department has partnered with the Camden County Fire Marshal's Office to operate the FireWatch Program; a child and adolescent firesetting program.
What is Child and Adolescent
Firesetting?
Each
year, in the United States thousands of deadly fires are started by
children. Most of these fires could be
prevented if parents were better informed about the hazards of leaving
cigarette lighters and matches within the reach of young children. Some of these fires are started intentionally
by adolescents. Perhaps even sadder than
the death and destruction caused by children setting fires, is the fact that
most of these tragedies could be prevented through a program that includes;
fire safety education, awareness and counseling regarding children and fire.
No
single group is more familiar with the problem of child and adolescent
firesetting than our nation’s firefighters.
They witness the ugly results of deadly fires everyday. They know how most fires can be
prevented. That is why the fire service
has taken bold steps, by establishing programs like FireWatch to prevent juvenile
firesetting, and help keep our children and their families safe.
Why Do Children Set Fires?
Children
are naturally curious about fire.
Indeed, most children are fascinated by it. This natural curiosity is the cause of most
fires set by young children. Usually
they find a lighter or matches and, through imitation, experimentation or just
plain carelessness a fire results.
Some
children may set fires intentionally.
Many experts believe that this group of youngsters set fires because
they are experiencing some sort of emotional strain, such as a divorce,
impending move or maybe a death in the family.
More often than not, these children intentionally set fires more than
once. No matter what the circumstances
that cause these children to use fire, the results can be tragic.
What Can Be Done?
FireWatch is an
independent consortium composed of firefighters, law enforcement personnel,
educators, mental health professionals and concerned citizens who are eager to
help extinguish the problem of youthful firesetting. FireWatch is a fire and burn
prevention program operating out of Cherry Hill Fire Department.
The FireWatch
program coordinates such interventions as fire safety awareness, burn
prevention education, family counseling as well as anger management/conflict
resolution and parenting skills. FireWatch
also serves as an advocate for responsible fire prevention legislation and
regulations in New Jersey and throughout the country.
Because
of programs like FireWatch there is help available to child firesetters
and their families. Children can be
taught constructively about the proper uses and the inherent dangers of
fire. Parents can be trained to teach
their children at an early age basic fire safety techniques.
WHAT
INTERVENTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?
Thanks in part to grant and funding from the Camden County Youth Services Commission, we offer a vast variety of interventions designed to reduce a child's risk of continued firesetting behaviors.
Interventions include:
Ø
Fire Safety Education
Ø
False Public Alarm and Bomb Safety
Education
Ø
Family Counseling
Ø
Group Counseling
Ø
Smoke Detector Program
Ø Anger Management/Conflict Resolution
Depending on the assessed needs of the child and family, one or more of the above mentioned interventions may be recommended. All children who enter FireWatch will receive fire safety education. All information collected at FireWatch is confidential.
Thanks in part to grants and funding through the Youth Services Commission, we are able to provide these services for juveniles throughout the entire County of Camden as well as Cherry Hill residents.
Under the leadership of Program Director Tammy DeLucca, Camden County has witnessed an 89% reduction in fire deaths attributed to children. Camden County has also experienced over a 94% rate of success in stopping repeat firesetting behavior in children who complete the program.
For more information on this program please contact Program Director Tammy DeLucca at
