RECENT TRAINING AND EVENTS

Sights from this year's Annual Seminar at the State Fire College in Ocala

Special Thanks to the Following for providing support for this year's annual seminar.

Congratulations to Neal Zierden - Recipient of the 2011 FACAP Investigator Of The Year 

Way to go Griffin Elementary

BROWARD’S HEATED CONTEST FOR ARSON AWARENESS WEEK!

SURPRISE VISIT FROM EMBER, ARSON DETECTION DOG

(Cooper City, FL) - Almost 700 elementary school students throughout Broward County participated in the U.S. Fire Administration’s Arson Awareness Week 2011 essay writing contest, coordinated by the Broward Sheriff Fire Marshal’s Bureau on behalf of the Broward County Juvenile Fire setters Program and the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal. On May 6, students at Griffin Elementary School got a special surprise visit from Ember, an arson detection dog from the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Broward Sheriff Fire Marshal’s Bureau life safety educators awarded the school’s winning entrants with a bevy of prizes. 

The third, fourth and fifth grade students who participated in this year’s essay contest had to write a short story on the topic of arson awareness and prevention.

The judges chose the winning essays based on accuracy of information, focus on topic, relevant supporting ideas and creativity.

Pictured in photo, L to R: SFMO Capt.. Ross Holt and his dog Ember, SFMO Lt. Joe Schwartz, Broward Sheriff Fire Marshal’s Bureau Life Safety Educator Courtney Palmer, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Cooper City District Fire Chief Richard “Rusty” Sievers and (kneeling next to Ember) Griffin Elementary School 5th grader and 1st place winner Sabrina Szyerowski, holding her winning entry.

This event was one of many held throughout the state to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of arson. Arson Awareness Week 2011 wrapped up May 7. This year’s theme, Working Together to Extinguish Serial Arson, highlighted the consequences of serial arson. The week before arson awareness week, the Broward Sheriff Fire Marshal’s Bureau and State Fire Marshal’s Office detectives arrested a Dania Beach man after a recent string of arson fires in a condominium. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms reported from 2009-2010 there were 88 serial arson incidents nationwide, resulting in nearly $5 million in damage. 49 percent of these arson fires were in residential dwellings. The National Fire Protection Association also reported that in 2007, three firefighters died and 6,100 were injured battling intentionally set fires.

Kitchen Fire Class - Intentional or Accidental

Tampa, FL - August 19, 2010

FACAP presented to a large audience of fire investigators, attorneys, criminal investigators, SIU's and adjusters, a class on the investigation of Kitchen Fires.  A special thanks to HomeWise Insurance for providing the accommodations for the meeting. 

Kitchen Fire Class - Intentional or Accidental

Davie, FL June 30, 2010

FACAP recently returned to South Florida and presented two classes on the investigation of kitchen fires.  A special thanks to the Davie Fire Department for hosting the meeting and to the Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigation and the Division of Insurance Fraud, Detective Joe Schwartz and Detective Charles Toledo and Major Blank for assisting in the training program.  Training was provided to over 150 public and private sector investigators and insurance adjusters. 

ARSON AWARENESS WEEK

May 2- 8th, 2010

Community Arson Prevention

The Goal of this year's Arson Awareness Week is to focus attention on the horrific crime of arson and provide communities with the tools and strategies to combat arson in their neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and places of worship. 

The FACAP Board would like to thank CFO Alex Sink, the Florida State Fire Marshal's Office, the Tampa Fire Department and the Marianna Fire Department for allowing FACAP to take part in their local Arson Awareness Events.  Several members of  FACAP traveled to these events that certainly were educational and brought attention to the crime of arson, its affects on the communities, property values and the safety and wellbeing of the Citizens and Firefighters of this great State. 

• Are you a FACAP member?  - Visit the "Members Only" - Library Section and see the newly posted training video - Accidental or Deliberate?  Identifying "Red Flags" in a Kitchen Fire.

• ***Members - Be sure to log in and see newly posted articles in the "Members Only" Section***

Arson has become one of the fastest growing and most neglected of serious crimes, increasing each year.  Arson is viewed by most as being a property crime.  However, arson is in fact a very violent and deadly crime and has been viewed too long as just a crime committed by the average homeowner or business owner looking for a way out of debt.  Hundreds of children and adults die or are injured as a result of arson or acts of terrorism each year. 

The consumers of the State of Florida are directly affected by the crime of arson through loss of lives, higher insurance premiums, manpower expenses, taxes and other related expenditures used to fight the crime of arson and related activities.

Founded in 1975 the Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention is a non-profit organization developed for the sole purpose to wage a war against the ever-growing problem of arson and insurance fraud in the state of Florida.

FACAP is committed to the citizens of Florida through their dedication to arson awareness, legislation, legal issues, education and training.  This is evident through the numerous programs, sub-committees, training and legislative activities established to achieve the goals of FACAP. 
Its membership is made up of insurance company representatives, private fire and arson investigators, attorneys, and investigators and support personnel from the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations, Division of Florida’s State Fire Marshal’s Office in addition to Federal, County and City law enforcement officers throughout the state, fire service personnel throughout the state and others who are engaged, on a continuing basis, in the war against arson in Florida.

Learn more and join the fight.