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FIRE PREVENTION WEEK '08 |
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Arson is down but still dangerous
10/08/08
BY JOHNNIE BACHUSKY
Red Deer Express
For the first seven years of the new millennium arsonists were making Red Deer the deadliest fire city in the province.
But over the last year all that has changed. Red Deer is suddenly below the provincial average in terms of the number of deliberately set destructive fires.
Firefighters with Red Deer Emergency Services are refusing to give in to complacency. They vow to keep up efforts to reduce the numbers of arson-related cases even further. As a result, the issue is front and centre for this year’s Fire Prevention Week.
“That is our goal, to reduce. Zero would be nice but to see the reduction is rewarding,” said Wes Van Bavel, fire prevention officer for Red Deer Emergency Services. “Arson is still one of our biggest problems, as well as unattended cooking, which is still one of the leading causes of home fires.”
Between 2001 and 2005, the City of Red Deer experienced 483 destructive fires. Out of those 143 or 38 % per cent were deliberately set. The fires caused more than $6 million in direct damage.
In 2006, Red Deer’s arson-related cases accounted for 35 out of the total 78 destructive fires. That’s 46%. The provincial average for fires deemed to be deliberately set is about 30%.
From Sept., 2003 to Sept., 2008 there has been 87 fire injuries in the city. No fatalities have been reported.
Red Deer Emergency Services decided in 2006 it was time to get a handle on the growing problem and a community-wide Arson Task Force was created. It is comprised of fire and RCMP officials, representatives from both school boards, business community officials and a member from the Crown prosecutor’s office.
The task force believed it was imperative to raise the level of awareness in the community about the growing peril of arson, and what citizens could do to reduce it.
An intensive education campaign was launched. Task force representatives went door to door with brochures. Firefighters pushed their Home Safety Program. Displays were set up at shopping malls and in stores.
Within a year, positive results were seen.
By the end of 2007, the arson rate versus the total number of destructive fires dropped to 42 %.
So far this year, the rate has plummeted all the way down to 19%.
Fire officials are quick to credit the success to the task force initiative but also point to key arrests made by the RCMP.
“There has actually been a couple of people caught that we figure were responsible for a lot of fires,” said Van Bavel. “All of a sudden we see a drop of 20 per cent and we’re thinking, ‘Are these people responsible for a majority of these?”
While that may be the case, fire officials still want arson to be the focus for this year’s Fire Prevention Week.
They are urging citizens in the community to be vigilant in all their affairs to help reduce opportunities for would-be arsonists.
“Homeowners need to take care of their own property,” said Van Bavel.
He said citizens should reduce combustibles around the yard, lock doors of their vehicles, store outside flammable products in secure locations, and not leave excess items outside the fence and in the back alley.
“Those are areas for people roaming around at night that become a target,” said Van Bavel. “We will see a lot of these (arson) fires in random incidents where there is just an opportunity waiting. If we can eliminate those opportunities, that will go a long way to reducing those types of fires.
“Anything suspicious the public sees in their neighbourhoods they should phone the RCMP,” he added. “They (police) are aware of the problem, and a member can come around and take a look.”
Meanwhile, despite the growing signs of success to fight arson in the community the task force still has an ongoing commitment to continue its mandate.
Increased awareness and publicity campaigns are continuing without pause.
“We are not stopping the campaigns or the advertisements. It is still front and centre,” said Van Bavel. “On top of everything else we do a lot of signage on the buses, bus benches and the shelters. Hopefully this will deter people once they see we are serious about it.”
jbachusky@reddeer.greatwest.ca 403-309-5456
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