Cleveland Fire Brigade staff to be trained to deliver pioneering arson programme offering firestarters alternative to court
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Details of the highly successful programme, known as Fire-P, will be highlighted at a special training session hosted by Cleveland Fire this week.
Fire-P which stands for Firesettters Integrated Responsive Educational Programme, looks at motives, human behaviour and coping mechanisms and other aspects of forensic psychology to divert convicted firestarters away from arson.
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Hide AdIt is a recognised alternative to sentencing in court and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service have seen success with nearly 200 convicted firesetters on the scheme with not one reoffending.
The aim of the sessions at Cleveland Fire Brigade’s Training and Admin Hub in Hartlepool, will be to train staff to deliver the programme.
Staff from Northumberland, Durham & Darlington and Tyne & Wear brigades will also attend.
Between January and June this year, Cleveland Fire Brigade dealt with nearly 2,200 deliberate fires, costing the local economy almost £13m.
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Hide AdIn April, serial arsonist Stefan Geary, 50, of Furness Street, Hartlepool, was jailed for four years after setting fire to St George’s Church Hall, in South Bank, Middlesbrough, causing an estimated £150,000 damage.
Craig Strike, Head of Prevention, Protection and Engagement at Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: “The Fire-P programme could potentially provide an alternative to sentencing that supports offenders to change their behaviour and in the process ensures the brigade’s valuable resources can be focused in other areas rather than dealing with deliberate fires.
"This is a great addition to our prevention portfolio.”