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Citrus fire officials say arson has become more prevalent in Citrus County. There could be a number of reasons for this increase, according to County Fire Chief Larry Morabito, but the important thing is preventing it.

Morabito said everyone should be concerned about arson because it causes insurance rates to rise and neighborhood to deteriorate, in addition to endangering both responders and citizens.

According to the United States Fire Administration’s (USFA) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an estimated average of 316,600 intentional fires are reported to fire departments in the United States each year, causing injuries to 7,825 firefighters and civilians. In 2006, 10 firefighters died as a result of arson. In addition to needless injury and death, an estimated $1.1 billion in direct property loss occurs annually.

Locally, Citrus County has had 21 fires that were determined to be arson between June 2009 and July 2010. Arson is investigated by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Arson robs communities of its valuable assets, lives, and property, Morabito said. It destroys more than buildings; it can devastate a community, resulting in the decline of the neighborhood through increased insurance premiums, loss of business revenue, and a decrease in property values.

According to the USFA’s NFIRS data and the NFPA, half of all intentional structure fires are started in the home. These fires result in 85 percent of the civilian deaths, 82 percent of the civilian injuries, and 64 percent of the direct property damage from intentional structure fires.

Only 5 percent of fires in homes are intentionally started, and in these fires, the bedroom is the leading area of origin. The bathroom is the leading area in public properties such as stores, offices, or schools.
Arsons involving structures (residential, storage, public, etc.) accounted for 43.4 percent of the total number of arson offenses last year. Mobile property (cars, motorcycles, etc.) was involved in 28.9 percent of arsons, and other types of property (such as crops, timber, fences, etc.) accounted for 27.7 percent of reported arsons.

The average dollar loss for all types of arson was $16,015. For structures, arson damages were $32,364 on average and $7,890 for motor vehicles. Arsons of industrial and manufacturing structures resulted in the highest average dollar losses — an average of $212,388 per arson.

The  rate of arson was 24.1 offenses for every 100,000 inhabitants of the United States in 2007.  The breaking point for a community may be one fire, or it may be 100, Morabito said.
He said arson prevention projects should focus on identifying and removing what could burn or materials that an arsonist could use to start a fire.

To that end, he advised:
●    Clean up the neighborhood by removing all garbage, material, and
excess vegetation that is capable of being ignited.
●    Remove all possible sources of ignition, such as flammable
liquids and unused gas containers.
●    Remove abandoned vehicles. According to the USFA’s NFIRS data
and the NFPA, there is an annual estimated average of 25,328 intentional fires involving vehicles. Most car fires are started to cover up other criminal activity or simply as an act of vandalism. An abandoned car is a target for arson.
●    Secure abandoned and vacant homes which are potential arson
targets. This may be comprised of additional locks or the boarding up of broken windows or other openings with plywood
●    Communicate with the home’s owner that authorities are
concerned about the vacant home and explain why.
●    Contact public works to disconnect all utilities at the street.
Thi
s includes natural gas, water, and electricity. If there are liquefied petroleum gas tanks, they should be disconnected and removed.

●    Encourage Neighborhood Watch members to patrol these areas and
write down descriptions, license plates of suspicious vehicles, and potential suspect descriptions.

Morabito noted that the fire department conducts fire code inspections in existing commercial buildings across the county. He said theses inspections are meant to provide a fire safe occupancy for the owners, occupants, and customers that may use the building. Owners who would like their building inspected for fire hazards can contact Citrus Fire Rescue.

He said communities can develop a watch program, partnering with their local fire department, law enforcement, insurance providers, business leaders, churches, and local community groups. Neighborhoods can reduce the likelihood of arson by promoting neighborhood watches, by educating people about recognizing and reporting unusual activities, and by implementing improved internal and external security for homes and businesses.

Morabito said, “Arson will continue to be a problem unless citizens are involved in their neighborhood. Although we can’t stop all arson, we certainly can reduce the number of arson fires in the county. Please be aware of what is going on in your neighborhood, and report any suspicious activity.”

He said a community arson watch program can put the neigh¬bor back into neighborhood by creating a sense of cooperation. It brings the fire service, law enforcement, and citizens together to reduce the crime of arson. For more information about creating an arson watch program, contact Citrus County Fire Rescue at 352-527-5406.