Fire prevention program aimed at risky youth gets $75,000 donation

SAN DIEGO– This year, The Cushman Foundation created an initiative, Making a Difference for San Diego, to impact worthy organizations throughout San Diego county. The intention was to provide funding to elevate or create new programs that truly make a difference in the San Diego community, and as such, The Cushman Foundation awarded $1.2 million to 15 organizations.

The Burn Institute was awarded a $75,000 grant to kick-start the Youth Firesetter Intervention and Prevention Program by the end of 2018. Designed to act as a central service for community partners such as the courts, fire service, law enforcement and schools, the Burn Institute will take referrals of youth ages 5 to 17 who have been caught engaging in fire setting activities and evaluate their risk level. The program will provide assessment, intervention, education and mental health referrals to prevent future fire setting behavior.

Youth fire setting has been an ongoing problem throughout the nation for years. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fires started by children playing accounted for an average of 49,300 fires with associated losses of 800 civilian deaths and 860 civilian injuries per year between 2007 and 2011. Currently, there is no other organization that provides assessment, intervention and prevention for youth fire setting in San Diego county.