Arson Awareness Week

This week, the week of 1-7 May, is Arson Awareness Week. This year's theme,"Working Together to Extinguish Serial Arson," is designed to focus public attention on the value of a collaborative effort between law enforcement, fire and emergency service departments, and the community to battle serial arsonists.

This weeks outreach efforts are planned to focus attention on serial arsonists and to provide law enforcement, the fire service, and communities with tools and tactics to prevent arson in their city and towns.

Many communities across the country are experiencing a rash of serial arson-related fires. Serial arson is defined as “an offense committed by fire setters who set three or more fires with a significant cooling off period between the fires.” These types of fires are plaguing many rural and urban communities causing significant loss of life and millions of dollars in property damage and adding to the suffering already caused by the current economic climate.

For more information regarding the 2011 Arson Awareness Week, please visit:

U.S. Fire Administration: Arson Awareness Week