General Information
Creating and maintaining a successful youth firesetting prevention and intervention program requires continuous learning. Regardless of your expertise level, there is always opportunity to increase understanding and implement new strategies.
Changing a youth’s firesetting behavior requires a multi-disciplinary approach. While the fire service is the leader in fire prevention education programs, youth firesetting prevention and intervention requires a team of experts. A successful program requires a network of these stakeholders to advocate for youth.
Training
More training for specialists is always available. Learn more in the training section of our website.
This online presentation will help you start building your youth fire intervention program.
If you have an idea for a training session or conference at which Youth Firesetting Prevention and Intervention information would be appropriate, call 763-280-4609. Get the latest information on youth firesetting prevention and intervention in Minnesota by signing up for the YFPI e-newsletter. Contact Doug Johnson to get on the list.
If you are interested in hosting a YFPI class, contact Doug Johnson by email or at 763-280-4609.
Help is Available
Crisis contact information
Does you know a child who needs immediate mental health resources? The Minnesota Department of Human Services has crisis contact information online.
Mental health consultation
If you need assistance with a child suffering from mental health disorders or would like to find an appropriate therapist for them,
email Doug Johnson and he can initiate mental health consultation services.
Forms
Here is a link to the assessment packet.
This should only be used by trained YFPI specialists. In it
you will find all of the forms that you need: intake, release of confidential
information, assessment tool, age appropriate pre-tests, and a follow up
reminder. If the child is younger, you may want to have them sign the promise certificate.
Follow up is perhaps the most important and most difficult
part of any intervention. We need to follow up in order to track recidivism, in
other words, to evaluate our intervention efforts. The families are often
transient in nature, so make sure and collect their email contact information.
Email is less likely to change than a telephone number.
If you need assistance, email Doug Johnson or call him at 763-280-4609.
Teams and Data 
YFIRES National Database
Collecting data regarding the extent of our national youth firesetting problem has been difficult. But now a free program -- the Youth Fire Intervention Repository and Evaluation System (YFIRES) -- lets you add specific and relevant information on all case management aspects of youth you are working with.
Participation in this program is essential to accurately gather real data to reveal the full extent of our national youth firesetting problem. You can learn more at www.yfires.com. To participate in this program, please email Doug Johnson and he can set you up as a program user.
The data collected by the YFIRES program to date can be found here. For a breakdown of 2016 and 2017 only, click here.
Online Education and Information
Toolkits
Wise Up -- The Choice is Yours
This is a great intervention tool to use with older firesetters. Topics include fire science, consequences of firesetting, burn prevention and escape planning. Kids ages 12-17 will enjoy learning with this tool. If you would like copies, please
email Doug Johnson.
The Minnesota Model DVD
The latest version of the Minnesota Model DVD is available. This is a comprehensive collection of administrative forms, assessment tools to start off each intervention, curricula for younger kids, and a Powerpoint with embedded videos for the older kids. The model also includes intervention activities to keep your interventions interactive and effective. Please make sure you have the latest version by
emailing Doug Johnson.
Michigan ToolkitThis
firesetting intervention toolkit is made available from the Michigan Trauma Burn Center.
Webinars
This two-hour free webinar presented by Jerrod Brown discusses youth firesetting clinical and forensic considerations.
More
For more activities and ideas, go to our useful links page. You can find it in the gray box on the left side of this page.
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