�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