Juvenile Firestoppers Program
Juvenile Firestoppers is aimed at educating children who engage in some form of firesetting activity. Established in 1990, it is offered by burn prevention educators from Akron Children's Paul and Carol David Foundation Burn Institute and firefighters from the Akron Fire Department. The classes are free and tailored to 3 age groups: 3-6 years, 7-11 years and 12-17 years.
What to expect.
Akron Children’s staff conducts an initial screening interview with each child and parent(s). This interview provides a brief psychological, social and emotional evaluation of the child and family, as well as a history of the child’s fire-setting behaviors.
The interview helps us determine if your child may need additional services or psychological evaluation. We will help with referrals to these services.
Through a series of videos, games, lectures, discussions and other activities, participants learn the 3 P’s of fire safety:
- Prevention: How to prevent fires and burn injuries; checking hot water temperature; proper storage of flammable materials, etc. We also cover such topics as the composition of skin and the different types of burn injuries.
- Protection: Stop, drop and roll if clothing is on fire; installing smoke detectors and planning fire escape routes. Participants also develop an escape plan for their home.
- Persuasion: To increase the likelihood that participants will retain what they’ve learned, the children prepare verbal reports for every class they attend.
Enrollment
Children may be enrolled by their parents or through police or court referrals. Parents or legal guardians are expected to participate along with their child. Programming for adults includes a review of potential fire hazards in the home and the importance of having a home escape plan.
Participants receive a specific class schedule when they enroll. Before the first class, parents should call Akron Children’s burn educators at 330-543-8813 to schedule an interview.
Juvenile Firestoppers is supported in part by Aluminum Cans for Burned Children.
