Y-FIRE Youth Program
To reduce death, injury and property loss due to youth-set fires in Kansas
Y-FIRE - A Community-Based Fire Prevention Program
Resource Material for parents, teachers, childcare providers and fire service personnel.
Request from: Elena C. Nuss 785-296-3403
Did You Know?
- Nationwide youth-set fires cause an average of 280 deaths and 2,400 injuries yearly?
- In Kansas, youth-set fires have caused 10 deaths, 147 injuries and over $12 million in property damage over the last five years
- The annual property loss and cost of providing protection nationwide from youth-set fires exceeds $250 million?
- Over 50 percent of persons arrested for the crime of arson are youth?
- Research has revealed that nearly 50 percent of all children light at least one fire before the age of 13?
The Kansas Y-Fire Program
Prior to being selected in 2000 for support from the National Association of State Fire Marshal's Office (NASFM) had already developed juvenile firesetting training programs, adopted curricula (K-8), and compiled a video/resource library. In 2001 the State funded two positions in the KDHE, one a director of youth programs, and implementation of Y-FIRE (Youth-Firesafety Intervention, Resources and Education) Coalitions began.
Each county or area in the Y-FIRE program defines its unique child-set fire problem and develops a mission statement and short- and long-range goals. In the past year and a half, nine communities have been developing Y-FIRE teams and have sent team members to special NASFM training workshops. Each Y-FIRE Coalition in Kansas is being stronglhy encouraged to collect and report incident data.
Kansas is also forming a Statewide Advisory Task Force, the primary purpose of which is to further encourage development of and participation in local coalitions that address the problems of child set fires and juvenile arson.
NASFM support now involves helping with data collection component, as they work to bring additional states on board.
For more information, contact Elena C. Nuss, Y-Fire Program Manager at 785-296-3403 or enuss@kdhe.state.ks.us
Midwest Injury Newsletter Summer 2003 Vol VI, Number 1. A newsletter of the Midwest Injury Prevention Consortium.
YOUTH Y-FIRE coalitions are geared to help boys and girls to age 17 involved in unsupervised, experimental, mischievous or illegal use of fire.
Each year, fire statistics for Kansas show hundreds of reported incidents - with many going unreported.
Consider the following incidents from 2001-2002 Kansas Reports
- Two tragic house fires in one holiday weekend claimed the lives of two adults and five children. Both fires were caused by children playing with matches and candles
- A rural central Kansas home was destroyed when a child playing with matches in his bedroom started a fire.
- A 7-year old child who was playing with a cigarette and a lighter died when a camper he was in caught fire.
- A Kansas teen was sentenced for arson and tried as an adult after burning down an abandoned house on Halloween.
- Two girls, ages 10 and 11, were arrested and charged with aggravated arson after setting a fire in a trash can. Both girls were linked by police to three more intentionally set fires. One caused an estimated $5,000 in damages.
Youth firesetting can be prevented when parents, teachers, firefighters and law enforcement authorities become aware of the problem and work together to find solutions. Establishing a positive, proactive program like Y-FIRE can make a difference in you community!
- Prevention Ideas
- Home Safety Checklists
- Brochures
- Community Awareness Presentations
- Smoke Detector Education
- Home Exit Drills
EDUCATION:
- Firesafety Academy
- Age Appropriate Lesson Plans
- Peer Training Opportunities
JUVENILE JUSTICE:
- Court Referral
- Diversion Programs
- Victim Offender Mediation
- Teen Court Referral
- Community Service
- Restitution Programs
MENTAL HEALTH:
- Referral to Counseling Services
- Referral to Inpatient Treatment Centers
- Case Conferences
- Training for Mental Health Professionals
- Brochures
- Video Library
- Youth Program Resource Kit
- Audio Tapes for Preschoolers
- Program Development Materials
- Information & Technical Services
- Web Site: www.accesskansas.org/firemarshal/
- Lesson Ideas for Firesafety Academy
- Y-FIRE Program Manual
- Train the Trainer Workshops
- Seminars/Conferences
- Community Presentations
- Learn Not to Burn Curriculum
- Risk Watch -- Injury Prevention Curriculum
- Play Safe Be Safe -- Firesafety Program
- Junior Fire Marshal Program
Youth Firesafety Program funding provided by the Kansas State Fire Marshal.