AARBF Rocks the Rockies: Staff Shares Best Practice at Prevention Conference in Colorado

The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF) showcased its Fire F.R.I.E.N.D.S. program and shared its best practices with national prevention experts at the Fire & Life Safety Educators Conference of the Rockies, April 22 - 24, 2009, in Winter Park, Colorado.

Fire F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (Firesetter Regional Intervention Education Network and Delivery System) is a comprehensive intervention program for juvenile firesetters (JFS) managed by AARBF in association with many community agencies. The program was the subject of AARBF Prevention Specialist Lindsay Chisler's presentation "Partnering with Outside Agencies for Juvenile Fire Setter Programs." Lindsay's presentation pointed out many benefits of collaborating:

"By partnering together, fire departments are less affected by personal bias and internal changes because rules of an outside lead organization are being followed. Fire F.R.I.E.N.D.S. has established rules and guidelines that make it easy, essential and mandatory for the interviewer to gather all the necessary information to provide the best services possible. All city departments and behavioral health services look to one AARBF contact when referring or following up on a child, which limits confusion and saves time. With so many participating departments, children are less likely to 'fall through the cracks' and more likely to receive services and intervention that effectively prevents future fire setting behaviors."

In addition, the Fire F.R.I.E.N.D.S. website, www.firefriends.org, offers free resources and tips for other programs.

AARBF's Fire F.R.I.E.N.D.S. partners include Children's Hospital of Orange County, Dr. Kenneth Fineman, Dr. Brett Patterson, Orange County Fire Authority, Chapman University, Patricia Mieszala and the fire departments of Costa Mesa, Orange, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport and Santa Ana.

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