�y Patti David
In an ffort to low
down the rate of fire
deaths, injuries and fire
loss, the Detroit Fire
Department ha an ex
tensive number of Fire
Safety Education tools
and program in the
works.
One of the tool is
what is called the Fire I
Safety House, accord
ing to Rodney W.
Parnell, Chief of Com
munity Relations for
the Detroit Fire
partm nt.
"With the Fire af ty I
House, we giv young
people the opportunity
for an up-clo e I ok at
what a hou e can pro
vide in term of fire
safety, and how it could
al 0 prevent problem
that could lead to fire
death in injurie,"
Parnell said.
The Fire Saf ty
, House, which i a mo
bile hou e about th
ize of a recreational
vehicle, is large enough
for people to climb
through. The 2 -foot
long vehicle contain a
fully-equipp d kitch n,
living area and up tair
bedroom, all built on a
reduc d cale, 0 that
p opl can crawl
thr ugh it.
"W d cid d that
crawling throu h th
ir afety Hou wa a
go d idea," Parn 11 aid,
"inc by crawling, y u
hav th opp rtunity to
g t I w, wh r th g d
air xi t ,a pp d to
tanding."
Th 5,5 -pound Fir
af ty H u , whi h i
pull d by a h vr 1 t
uburban, f atur
•
r
moke y tem which
produce artificial
smoke.
"In fires, moke kills
much faster than the
flame ," Parnell aid.
In addition, it in
cludes a fire system
and a phone y tern' 0
re Safety Tips for
t
or' ev n
time a
year to pro-
vid train-
ing for
inve tigato
rs and ad
justor, to
view pres
entation
on ar on
prevention
and to pro
vide various workshop on related topics.
There are four subcommittees in the ar on pre
vention group--Arson Control, Public Awarenes ,
Education and Juvenile Affair.
The Michigan Arson Pr vention Committ e
wants the public to know that they can fight back
against arson. Anyone who su p ct an ar on ha
been or will be com mitt d i ur�ed to call Arson
Control at 1-800-44AR ON. This program give
out reward of up to
5,000 for information
which lead to the ar
re t and/or conviction
of ari oni t .
ince its b ginning
in 1975, the r ward pro
gram has given out
more than $257,450 in
r ward.
The committ e al 0
urges individuals and
community member to
b aware of conditions
in their neighborho d
which may encourage
arson; To di courag
arson, keep yard w 11-
light d, keep buildings
10 k d and prop rty
ds
r
By P tti vid
In Mi higan, ab ut n out of v ry fiv fir i
� port d a an ar on r " u piciou "blaz . Accord
mg to the Fir Mar hal. ivi i n of th Mi higan
D partm nt of tate Poli ,th r w r 3 7 2 in
t ntionally- t or inc ndiary fir in l' 2 and
3,936 in 1993. In addition to thi ,th r w r 7 07
" u piciou "fir r p rted in 1992 and 7 716 It' u -
piciou "fire in 1993, a 7 percent incr' a ov r
1992' figures.
. �r on fir s throughout Michigan co t Michigan
cmz n 76 million in 1992. Of thi total about
28 million wa paid out in direct ar on los' and
" u piciou "fire that re ult � in the 10 of prop-
rty valued at. about 47 million, Th 10 fig-
ure do not includ th co t of medical care,
funeral expen e , temporary helter, bu ine in
terruption, demolition, fire inve tigation, pro ecu
tion, jailing and mcrea d in urance premium .
In 1993, arson fir co t Michigan citizen 116
million, and about 37.5 million wa paid out by in-
urance companie for damag to property valued
at 58.7 milhon.
Last year, ar on wa al 0 re pon ible for the
death of 31 civilian , and th injurie of 298 indi
viduals, including 196 fire ervice per onnel fight
ing the fires.
Arson i a major concern for everyone, regard
Ie of what th figur look lik , and regardle s of
the ize of the community. Becau e of thi , in
1973, the state of Michi�an formed the Michigan
Arson Prevention Committee, which is compo ed
of about 30 to 35 p r on from variou group in
terest d in preventing ar on.
"The Michigan Ar on Pr vention Committee is
funded by the Michigan Ba ic Property In urance
Corp., which i a conglomeration of in urance com-
ire S fety ducation to,
a Top Priority in Detroit
I
I
ix
fr e of tra hand d
port all u pi i u
m nt a nci .
Amon th goal of th Mi higan Ar n Pr v n-
ti n C mmitt ar:
- T gain r at r itiz n involv m nt in c mb t
ing ar on thr ugh publi izing th ar n r ward
program, r vi wmg r qu t for r ward and di -
bur ing reward wh n appropriat .
- To h ight n publi awar n a ain t th crim
of ar on in an ff rt to deter it de va tating ffect
upon th p opl in Michigan.
,- To provid education, information and a i-
tance to individual in an effort to r du th prob-
1 m of juvenil ar on.
- To provid education de igned to h lp individu-
-al to enhanc their kill and kn wledge in ar on
inve tigation, detection and prev ntion.
- To re earch and evaluate th impact of govern
m ntal activitie a they relat to th nforcem nt
and prevention of arson and make r commenda-
tions when appropriate. ,
- To encourage m mb r hip by tho e int rested
in the control and suppre sion of ron.
Material provided by the committe ay that
p r ons who commit ar on are from all age group,
occupations and background . Ar oni t generally
work alone, although a few have been known to
work in groups. Ar oni t may s t fire impul-
ively or after careful planning, Their m thod
may range from starting fire. with imple matche
all the way to the u e of sophi treat d chemical .
The motive for committing ar on include:
Profit: U ually done by peopl who cannot m t
th ir financial obligation . Th y oft n burn th ir
property to coli ct in uranc , or hir profe ional
"torcher "who II their ervic for a f e. .
Attention: orne per on commit ar on to mak
a point or get upport for a cau e, get r cognition
Within a group or to hit a political target.
To Conceal a Crime: Burglar, murderer and
drug addict may burn a building to de troy vi
d nee of a crime.
For the Thrill of it: Som p ople are pyromani
ac , and are thu p y hologically comp lled to et
fires. Oth r people who are confu ed or angry
over p ronal problems may al 0 et fire to find
r lea .
Reveng: Rival, unhappy mpJoyee, p opJe
who have ended relation hip and others who have
been cheated may s t fires to g t even.
Maliciou Mi chief: Juvenil sometimes t
fires out of boredom or a a way to strike back
against authority. .
The committ ' r port al 0 state that the "ma-
jority of incendiary and ; u piciou ' fir s ar t
-
Plea
SeARSON on Pag 8
AI
u e
19 4 Fir Pr v ntion W Ie uppl m, nt P 7