Beloit Fire Begins Educational Campaign for Juvenile Firesetters Program

The City of Beloit Fire Department is educating the public about risky behaviors as it relates to juvenile firesetting.

The department will have a series of social media posts on its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/BeloitFireDepartment, to help start the conversation about why kids start fires and what families can do to keep themselves safe.

Nationwide, more than half of all intentionally set fires are started by youths under the age of 18. Each year fires set by children and adolescents are responsible for hundreds of fire deaths, thousands of painful burn injuries, and hundreds of millions of dollars in property loss, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Young children are also the victims in these fires. Fires set by children are common and a problem affecting many families. While curiosity about fire is natural, firesetting is dangerous and deadly. It is not safe to think that youth firesetting is only a phase

The City of Beloit Fire Department has a free Juvenile Firesetters program dedicated to working with families and educating youths that have displayed a curiosity in firesetting.

If someone you know can benefit from the Juvenile Firesetters Program, please call us at 608-364-2900 Extension 8. Leave a voicemail with your contact information, and a fire department educator will connect with you.