Riverside Recognizes Arson Awareness Week

The Riverside Fire Department would like to emphasize the importance of serial arsons through National Arson Awareness Week May 1-7. Serial arson is defined as an offense committed by fire setters who set three or more fires with a significant cooling off period between the fires. Unfortunately, many rural and urban communities are experiencing a rash of serial arson fires, causing significant loss of life and millions of dollars in property damage.

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) 88 serial arson fires were reported between 2009 and 2010 with an aggregate money loss of $4.8 million. Arson in residential dwellings accounted for 48 percent of those incidents. The National Fire Protection Association reports that in 2007, three firefighters died and 6,100 were injured during response to intentionally set fires.

According to the USFA’s National Fire Incident Report¬ing System (NFIRS) data,an estimated 210,300 intentionally set fires occurred each year from 2004 to 2006 in the United States. Intentionally set fires account for 13 percent of fires responded to by fire departments across the Nation. These fires resulted in an average of approximately 375 deaths, 1,300 injuries, and $1.06 billion in property loss each year.

It's imperative to have an escape plan at your home and place of employment. Make sure your home is equipped with working smoke detectors, and if you do have a fire at home or work, get out and stay out. If you think a fire was intentionally set, please call the Missouri Division of Fire Safety's Arson Hotline at 1-800-39-ARSON. You may also receive a reward up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.

For more information on fire safety tips, please call the Riverside Fire Department at (816) 741-1191.