Firestoppers: Youth Firesetter Intervention

East Pierce Fire & Rescue 69

Youth Firesetting

East Pierce Fire & Rescue offers Fire Stoppers – a youth firesetting intervention program to educate children about the dangers of experimenting with fire. The free program is designed for pre-school ages through teens. Participation is voluntary except for those referred by the Juvenile Court authorities.

The Fire Stoppers program is used to assess a child’s risk of continued fire setting behavior and to establish the best course of action to correct the child’s behavior. Specially trained fire district personnel conduct an assessment of the youth to determine the child’s risk level. The assessment includes four phases: the initial referral intake, a child interview, family interview and a parent questionnaire. The interviews and questionnaire help to identify a child’s behavior, medical history, and family background. The assessment will be completed and scored to provide a guideline for intervention and education for the child. When firesetting behavior is determined to be indicative of more serious problems, referral to specialized agencies will be recommended.

If you are concerned about your child’s fascination with fire:

  • Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside all sleeping areas.
  • Create and practice a home fire escape plan with everyone in your family.
  • Keep all matches and lighters locked up and out of sight from children.
  • Teach your children that matches and lighters are not toys. They should immediately tell an adult if they find matches or lighters.

To schedule a Fire Stoppers appointment, call 253-863-1800 (Option 4).