Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service has witnessed a 300 per cent increase in arson investigations since 2005.
Seeing a need for fire education in the Northern communities, NAPS applied for and received a $100,000 Proceeds of Crime Front-Line Policing grant from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services for a program they’ve called Project Firefly.
NAPS officers, Thunder Bay fire service members as well as mental health workers and teachers were attending one of two, two-day training sessions at the Valhalla Inn Monday morning to learn about Project Firefly, which will incorporate the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal’s The Arson Prevention Program for Children (TAPP-C).
In 2005, there were 58 arson investigations in Nishnawbe-Aski Nation. In 2010 there were 202 and another 140 in 2011.
Police officers have seen abandoned homes, sheds and snowmobiles destroyed by fire or brush fires that have been set by youth that at times have turned into forest fires.
“It destroys families. It destroys relationships,” said Chris Carson, community policing coordinator for NAPS.
“Even the agricultural side of it – the forest fires the last two years have been through the roof. A lot of resources are being wasted on fires that could be prevented,” he said.
More than 30 per cent of intentionally set fires are set by juveniles in Ontario.
From 2007 to 2011, there were more than 4,400 reported fires in Ontario set by youth under 17 and from those fires were 77 reported injuries, 11 deaths and $19 million in losses.
Office of the Fire Marshal Janice Johnstone led the morning session and spoke about just how large the issue of juvenile fire setting is in the province and how they are trying to address it through TAPP-C.
“What we’re doing is a two-pronged approach. It involves fire safety education and mental health assessment and intervention,” she said.
Fire setting isn’t just a fire department issue, but one that needs to incorporate the entire community, Johnstone said.
“We understand that these kids need more than fire safety education,” she said. “They also need some mental health assessment and they need some help in sorting out a lot of other issues. That’s why we look at a community approach and getting them all the help they can get that’s available in their community.”
Johnstone said if there is an issue in your community and if you are aware of a child setting fires, there is help available by calling your local fire service.
Project Firefly will be the first fire safety education program delivered in Nishnawbe-Aski Nation.
