What Should You Do Right NOW!

What should you do if one of your students has started a fire on school property and school personnel were able to extinguish it? Assuming law enforcement or fire services was not yet been called, and you are unable to reach your local Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program due to the time of day, what can you do to gain quick control of the situation? Following are basic steps to ensure your students are safe and to prevent another firesetting incident.

Follow your school’s emergency protocol for dealing with violent student behavior.
Immediately Call 9-1-1 to make sure the fire is out and to properly report the fire to the authorities. Fires can smolder and reignite if not properly extinguished.
Immediately alert school administration of the situation.
Remand the child into school counseling until the parents can be reached.
If permissable, search the child’s locker and personal belongings for fire paraphernalia.
Consult with your fire department’s juvenile intervention specialist as soon as possible.
Process a referral form for your local Juvenile Firesetter Intervention program.