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Phoenix Business Group U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION COMBATS NATION'S ARSON PROBLEM WASHINGTON May 1, 1996 -- Everyday brings news of a serious national problem - arson. This year, Arson Awareness Week, May 5-12, focuses on juvenile firesetting because young people currently represent about 55 percent of arson arrests, according to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Arson is not a hidden crime. It's murder by fire, a violent crime against property and people. Every year arson kills 700 people, destroys 100,000 buildings and costs more than $1.4 billion," U.S. Fire Administrator Carrye Brown said. "There are, however, effective ways citizens, along with law enforcement and the fire service, can ensure the culprits are brought to justice." Brown said that everyone should take steps to prevent arson in their communities. Arson exists in various forms -- juvenile firesetting, vandalism, pyromania, a murder weapon, and concealment of a crime. "We must identify the faces of arson. In addition to kids setting fires, incidents of adult firesetting are increasing," she said. Charles Evancho, national arson expert and chief of arson, Detroit Fire Department said, "Arson is one of the most difficult crimes to prosecute successfully. Often the criminal justice system does not view arson as a serious crime. The challenge is to develop sentencing for adults and juveniles." Last year, USFA, provided $2 million to 12 states to develop anti-arson programs. In Colorado, for example, USFA grants support a juvenile firesetter prevention program in partnership with a treatment center for abused children. "We need grant programs and partnerships like this," Brown said. "Arson must be tackled on several fronts and people must protect themselves by strengthening prevention and apprehension efforts." Brown offered the following advice:
USFA supports the nation's firefighters with training, fire data analysis, public education and research in fire protection technologies. For more information about arson and other fire issues, call FEMA's Fax-On-Demand at (202) 646-FEMA. For Internet users, arson facts are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.fema.gov. NOTE: The text from two fact sheets follows. First is "Arson Facts in America" and the second is "Arson in American Cities". Arson Facts in America Arson is the second leading cause of residential fire deaths and accounts for approximately 25 percent of all fires in the United States. Arson is the leading cause of dollar loss from fire, exceeding $2 billion annually. One fifth of all property loss is due to arson. Arson is a violent crime that claimed 700 lives last year. Some 500,000 arson fires occur each year. The 1994 Uniform Crime Report shows the nation experienced a five percent increase in arson. The northeast region, however, experienced a 17 percent increase, three times the national average. Only 15 percent of arson cases are closed by arrest. In 1994... The average property loss from incendiary and suspicious fires increased by 24 percent to $27,810. More than 41,000 vehicles were destroyed by arson, resulting in $137 million in property damage. Juveniles accounted for 55 percent of arson arrests. Law enforcement agencies across the country reported 95,764 arson offenses. Fifty-two percent of arson fires occurred in structures, 26 percent in vehicles and 22 percent other in other categories. Arson in America's Cities In a recent study of 10 urban cities, the U.S. Fire Administration found in many instances arson was a leading cause of fire fatalities and fires. In Baltimore...Arson is the second leading cause of fires. In 38 percent of fatal residential fires, no detectors were present. According to the Uniform Crime Report, arson crimes increased 31 percent in Maryland during the first nine months of 1995. In Birmingham...Arson fires accounted for 16 percent of reported fires. Smoke detectors were not present in half of all fatal residential fires. In Chicago...Arson fires are the leading cause of fatal fires and accounted for 16 percent of reported fires. No detectors were present in 55 percent of fatal residential fires. In Cleveland...One-quarter of residential fires are arson-related. Smoke detectors were not present in 54 percent of fatal residential fires. In Dallas...Arson fires accounted for 25 percent of residential fire fatalities and one-third of residential fires. No detectors were present in 95 percent of fatal residential fires. In Detroit...Arson accounted for nearly half (46 percent) of residential fire fatalities and 30 percent of residential fires. Ninety percent of fatal residential fires had no detectors present. Back to the Home page.
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