Forensics Journal - Stevenson University 2014 | Page 34

FORENSICS JOURNAL

There are firefighters who meet some or all of the traits described
above yet do not commit the crime of arson. Forensic psychologist
Rebekah Doley noted that “the similarities between firefighters who
light fires and those who don’t, emphasizes how difficult it is to spot
the threat from within” (“Report on Firefighter Arson” 17). The
National Volunteer Fire Council described the South Carolina profile
and the FBI profile as “popular in large part because they condense
a complex phenomenon into a succinct and straightforward chart”
(“Report on Firefighter Arson” 17). However, many firefighter arsonists do not fall within the parameters of the two profiles and “that
while firefighter arsonists may share some statistical similarities, they
are not homogenous” (“Report on Firefighter Arson” 17).

The National Volunteer Fire Council developed several recommendations mirroring Martinez’s. Their recommendations included: adopting firefighter arson prevention training programs on a national level;
conducting background checks and applicant screenings for all new
recruits; establishing zero-tolerance policies regarding fire-setting; and
empowering members to take a stand (“Report on Firefighter Arson”
27). The last point is critical as firefighter arson was not always
considered a bad thing by some firefighters and was actually viewed
as a rite of passage in some fire departments (“Report on Firefighter
Arson” 12).
A model training program called “Hero to Zero” was developed by
the Pennsylvania State Police. The program is required for all recruit
firefighters in the state (Martinez 66). The goal of the three hour
program is to reduce the rate of firefighter arsons through awareness
(“Report of Firefighter Arson” 25). Pennsylvania State Police Trooper
David Klitsch said the program “has been credited with uncovering
cases of firefighter arson since its inception.” Trooper Klitsch expected
to see an increase in the number of firefighters arrested for arson “as
the fire service goes through a period of cleansing as a result of the
information gathered through this program and the action taken by
the students in identifying these criminal actions” (“Report on Firefighter Arson” 25).

REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT A FIREFIGHTER WILL
BECOME AN ARSONIST
As noted earlier, retired ATF Special Agent Daniel Hebert estimated
that he arrested at least thirty firefighter arsonists during his career.
Hebert and Rick Jones, a retired state fire investigator in Louisiana,
developed a program called “Secrets in the Firehouse” and now travel
together throughout the United States, discussing the firefighter
arson problem (Hebert and Jones). Several convicted felons (former
firefighters whom Hebert arrested for arson,) often travel with Hebert
and speak to crowds of firefighters about the life-long ramifications of
their crimes. When asked what, if anything, could have been done to
prevent the firefighters he arrested from becoming arsonists, Hebert
immediately stated “28 of the 30 would have never set a fire had they
had training and education” (Hebert).

RECOGNIZING A FIREFIGHTER ARSONIST
What red flags or warning signs might indicate that a firefighter
arsonist is at work? Before that question is answered, it is necessary
to understand how fire departments operate. Most fire departments
cover a specific geographic area i.e., a city, county, town, taxing district, etc. Fire departments with more than one station further define
their coverage areas as “first due” territory, referring to the specific
geographic area covered by an individual fire station. In the context
of firefighter arson, many firefighters set fires out of excitement or
boredom, so it is logic [^H