The Juvenile fire setter program provides education on the dangers of fire play activities. Juveniles that take advantage of this program are referred in a few different ways: requirements of parole or diversion officer (court), parents who are concerned about a juveniles fire play and call for advice, and fire personnel gathering information on incidents regarding juvenile involvement in a fire.

The Juvenile fire setter program has two components:

• An interview process is completed with the parents and then the juvenile involved in the incident. The goal of this interview process is first to determine the extent of fire play history. This helps to determine if fire education is sufficient to meet the needs of the juvenile. If fire play activities are more extensive or beyond the curiosity stage, then professional counseling is recommended by our team in addition to the fire safety education we provide. The Lenexa Fire Department currently utilizes Fire Stoppers – Children’s Fire Prevention Program of Washington as our interview form.

• The second phase is the education component. We attempt to tailor the education to address the juvenile’s specific involvement. The education can include fire safety information, videos, internet research, homework, a presentation to their class at school, etc. The program does not require a set number of hours for completion, but rather the program is tailored to each individual participant’s needs.

For more information on the Juvenile Fire-Setter Intervention Program, contact the Lenexa Fire Department business office at 913-888-6380 (M-F, 8-5)