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I-Team Special - Firefighter Arsonists: 'A Sick Scenario'

I-Team Special - Firefighter Arsonists: 'A Sick Scenario' - Monday, May 17, 2010 at 04:05AM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Monday May 17 2010
DALLAS, LUZERNE COUNTY- It's the dirty secret of firefighting. A so-called depressing reality. Firefighter arsonists.

And those fighting to expose the problem say it's not easy to talk about. This issue of fire fighter arson is one the service has been practicing avoidance with," said Klitsch.

Let's make believe it doesn't exist when it does, and let's just hope the person setting the fires stops, said Pa. State Police Trooper David Klitsch.

Tpr. Klitsch in 2007 created the program From Hero to Zero. He talks about the disturbing facts: volunteer fire fighters torching places, only to then respond and help put out the flames. The actions of these individuals create a black eye for every member of the fire service, said Klitsch.

Jack Dodson is president of the Back Mountain Fire Chiefs Association and is chief of the Kunkle Fire Department. It takes your prestige that you have in the fire company, it puts it, it reverses the issue, it makes us look bad, said Dodson.

A notorious case of fire fighter arson: in 1997, a Bloomsburg volunteer fire fighter was charged with setting seven fires. And over the years, there has been a steady number of arrests. Volunteer fire fighters accused of endangering lives and destroying property.

Fast-forward 12 years to 2009. Another high-profile case in Columbia County. Kristen Strausser and Colton Barrett from the Orangeville Fire Department, alleged to have targeted the homes of senior citizens. Experts say that's as reckless as it gets.

It's really been a wakeup for the fire service across the country that action has to be taken and this is really the first step, said Klitsch.

The program personally designed by Tpr. Klitsch aims to educate departments when interviewing volunteer fire fighters. This particular night, Klitsch, a fire marshal and volunteer fire fighter, is speaking with Back Mountain volunteers.

These members were recently rocked by charges an ex-member of the department attempted to burn down the Dallas High School library. From one arson to the next, there's a running theme. Never more obvious after a Schuylkill County department in April was torn apart by charges several members were involved in a cross-county arson spree. The motive?

Excitement is the number one motive for these individuals to cross the line and set a fire, because they're bored, said Klitsch.

That's something being addressed in the Back Mountain according to Chief Dodson. He's also tightening how applicants are interviewed.

But since experts say boredom is such an issue, Chief Dodson remembers something he was told some 30 years ago. Years ago a guy said to me in the fire department, when you have your people, keep them busy or they'll keep you busy, said Dodson.
 


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