arson firegeezer on 13 Jul 2008 08:28 am
Vermont Tackles Firefighter Arson Problem
SO FAR THIS YEAR, THE STATE OF VERMONT has had nine volunteer firefighters charged with arsons. Throughout the decade of the 1990’s the state only had five such incidents. There are approximately 7,000 firefighters in Vermont.
The situation is now being looked at by the Vermont Division of Fire Safety along with the Professional Firefighters of Vermont and other like agencies.
The Times Argus reports:
In May, six firefighters from the Wallingford Volunteer Fire Department were cited for arson and related charges. Police said they were believed to be responsible for as many as 23 suspicious fires in the area. Those charged included two sons of the chief, one of whom was first assistant chief and the other was a captain.
All six were suspended pending the outcome of their court cases, which were set for arraignment July 21. Chief Warren Allen resigned following the arrests.
Manchester’s junior firefighters program has been suspended pending a revamp, according to fire chief Philip Bourn. “We kind of let them run a little loose,” Bourn said. “We didn’t explain stuff to them. … We just gave them the rules and regulations of the fire house, stuff like that. We figured it’d be common sense. A lot of these kids today don’t have common sense.”
There are some small departments that are now requiring some sort of background check on new applicants, but it is difficult in areas that don’t have police departments. South Carolina, for example, created a multi-question “profiling” test that can be used to screen out potential problem-members, but it is only being used sporadically. But the departments that have used it have been able to spot dubious applicants and have denied them membership.
Read the full article HERE. It is comprehensive and good reading.
on 17 Jul 2008 at 2:31 pm 1.Hannah Zimmerman said …
You guys may be interested in reading this story about a fire dept. defending one of their own who part of a really awful car crash involving a fire truck and a driver. Here is a link if you want to check it out…http://www.pitch.com.