Emergency Management Planning for Schools

School Fire Reporting Law Memo

Youth firesetting is a growing issue locally and nationally. Here in Massachusetts, the number of documented fires set by juveniles has been growing steadily over the past several years, from 61 in 2018 to 86 in 2022. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that some 90 percent of these fires go undiscovered or unreported, however, suggesting that the true total is significantly higher.

Children who misuse fire can be helped. Adults can help these young people by reacting quickly and appropriately to every fire. Local fire departments and social service agencies can refer children to Youth Firesetting Prevention and Intervention (YFPI) programs. Once a child is enrolled in a program, a trained professional can identify and address the reasons the child misuses fire, engage the parent(s)/caregiver(s), and provide age-appropriate intervention.

M.G.L. c. 148, s. 2A requires public and private school principals to notify the local fire department of any unauthorized fire within the school building or on school grounds. The local fire department is, in turn, required to report this information to the Office of the State Fire Marshal through the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System (MFIRS).¹

Early warning signs of firesetting behavior may include an intense interest or preoccupation with fire, damaged or burnt property, missing or out of place matches and lighters, and burn marks on the youth or the youth's belongings. Although not every child that encounters fire is, or will become, a youth firesetter, nearly every youth firesetter exhibits the same or similar behaviors and characteristics. Rather than it being a "phase" that some children go through, data compiled nationally and here in the Commonwealth suggests that youth firesetters do not simply "grow out" of firesetting. Instead, they will continue to set fires until they receive appropriate intervention.

Youth firesetting is a serious phenomenon that may indicate problems, issues, or needs at home. Adults do not help the young firesetter if they do not react appropriately to every fire: The child may not get the help they need, and the entire school community is put at risk.

Thank you for your attention to the information and guidance in this memorandum. For more information regarding fire prevention in schools, please visit: Fire Prevention in Schools.

¹ The principal of any public or private school that provides instruction to pupils in any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, shall immediately report any incident involving the unauthorized ignition of any fire within the school building or on school grounds to the local fire department. The principal shall submit a written report of the incident to the head of the fire department within 24 hours on a form furnished by the department of fire services. The report shall be filed without regard to the extent of the fire or whether there was a response by the fire department. The head of the fire department shall report such incident to the marshal in accordance with section 2. M.G.L. c. 148, s. 2A