22 - North Shore News ~— Sunday, November 12. 2000

Juveni

THE Lower Mainland
has recently seen a rash
of deliberately set fires.

So it’s appropriate that an
international conference held
in B.C. recendy focused on
young people who deliberate-
ly set fires.

On average, more than
100 ficcs are started in B.C.
each year by children playing
with matches, lighters or

other incendiary devices.
These fires cause deaths,
injuries and millions of dollars
iz: property loss.

“Firesetting at any age is 2
serious problem, but is partic-

ularly disturbing when it
involves voung people.” said
Cathy MeGregor, Minister

responsible for the Office of

the Fire Commissioner.
“Early intervention by
parents and professionals can
greatly reduce the risk of this
dangerous behaviour contin-
uing, and it can save lives.
Close to 200 professionals
from fire service, law enforee-
ment, social service, mental
health and education agencies
from around North America,
Australia and New Zealand
met in Whistler recently to
discuss the best methods for
stopping firesetting behaviour

early. Topics discussed include
the warning signs; cules,

gangs and groups, explosives
and juveniles; and the evele of
firesetting behaviour.

“The most important
thing about this conterence is
that the various agencies will
learn how they can work
together more ctiectively to
intervene early in tiresetting
behaviour,” said fire commis-
sioner Rick Dumala. “A child
who is setting fires is a danger
to himself, to his family and
to people in his community. It
takes a team approach by pro-
fessionals to stop this type of
behaviour.”

Notice of
Counter Petition
Process

Se LASS OGRE
_ Exempnne THE CORONATION BLOCK (105-111 West EspLanabe)

FROM TAXATION FOR THE YEARS 2002 AND 2003

- Council may exempt land and improvements from taxation in support of the
conservation of protected heritage property in accordance with Section 342 of

‘the Local Government Act. TAKE NOTICE THAT the Council of The Corporation

of the City.of North Vancouver proposes to finally adopt “Taxation Exemption

i) Bylaw, 2000, No: 7281", (Coronation Block Fire Suppression System, 105-111 West
ie . Esplanade); the intent is to exempt the lands and improvements from taxation
“ because the Coronation Block at 105-111 West Esplanade is considered to be a
significant municipal heritage resource that is protected through Heritage Revitalization Bylaw, 2000, No. 7280;

a “AND WHEREAS it is considered desirable to exempt said fands and improvements from taxation imposed under the provisions
Section 359 of the local Government Act for a period of two years in support of the installation of a fire suppression system in
the Coronation Block, as per Bylaw No. 7280.
“The Bylaw No. 7281 ‘epresents the entire City of North Vancouver.
ALL PERSONS desiring:to petition against Bylaw, No. 7281 by completing the Counter Petition Form, must do so on or before

Wednesday, December 13, 2000 at 4:30 p.m. (closing hour of City Hall). Counci! may only be prevented from proceeding with -
‘the adoption of Bylaw No: 7281 if more than 5% (1,120) in number of the electorate of 22,390, respond against the undertaking.

“Therefore if 1,120 number of electorate petition against Bylaw No. 7281, it shall not proceed to final adoption unless the Council
; of The Corporation of the City of North Vancouver proceeds to receive the assent of the electorate through a referendum bailot.

~‘Ifless than 5 of the electorate, or less than 1,120 people petition against Bylaw No.
7281, it shall be placed before, the City, Council on December 18, 2000 after. 6:00 p.m.
. for final adoption. °

Counter Petitions must be in writing ‘and signed and dated by, the resident elector, detail-

‘ing name and address. If neéded, counter petition forms are available at the Reception
..= Desk of the City Hall, 141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver, BC, V7M 1H9. They may be
; sent out and received by mail, or facsimile transmission, or in person, and they may be -

ie firesetters focus

Juvenile firesetter inter-
vention programs identify,
evaluate and treat young peo-
ple and their families, with the
aim of preventing, any recac-
rence of firesetting, For the
majority of youths, firesetting
is a behavioural problem that
can be corrected with a com-
bination of education and
psychological counselling.

“Rather than just treating
the children who are setting
fires, we work with the whole
family to stop this behav-
iour,” said Jim) McGregor,
president of the Greater
Vancouver = Fire Chiefs
Association. “By working

” Counter Petition Forms, for more information, or for a copy of Bylaw No. 7281 between
the hours of 8:30a.m. and 4: 30p.m, Monday to Friday, from November 7, 2000 to

December 13, 2000. Counter Petitions shall not be received nor certified as sufficient

if received after 4:30p.m, on December 13, 2000.
Bruce A. Hawkshaw, City Clerk

f conference

together with other agencies,
provinces and countries, we'll
be able to strengthen our
intervention program. This
will benefit the children and
their families.”

The conference was orga-
nized jointly by the Greater
Vancouver — Fire Chiets
Association, SOS Fires: Youth
Intervention Programs, and
Fire Stoppers of Washington
and Alaska, with supe ort
from the B.C. Office o
Fire Commissioner.

The Office of the Fire
Commissioner is the senior
authority in the province for
fire safety and prevention. Its

City Hall o 141 West 14th Street” |

North Vancouver o V7M 1H9
Tel: 985-7761 ©. Fax: 985-9417 -

tion are critical:

and are from a
economic backgrounds. |

services include public fire
safety education and firefight:
er certification, as well as
administration and enforce-
ment of fire safety legislation,
training, of focal assistants to
the fire commissioner, fire
loss statistics collection and
fire investigation. Other ser-
vices include fire inspection,
fesponse to major fire emer-
gencies and advice to focal
governments on delivering of
fire protection services.

A key function of a juve-
nile firesetter program is to
help differentiate between
normal, curiosity-related fire
behaviour — sometimes
called fireplay — and 2bnor-
mal or problem behaviours.
There are two basic classifica-
tions of juvenile firesetters:
curiosity firesetters and prob-
lem firesetters.

Curiosity firesetters:

@ Most children express a
natural and normal curiosity
about fire in their early years. |
@ Their interest in fire can be__
expressed in a number: of

- acceptable ways, such as ask-

ing guestions about fire, play-
ing with fire-related toys, .
such as a fire engine, and par-
ticipating in supervised activi-
ties involving fire, such as —
‘lighting a barbecue or fire-
place. -

B Typically, curiosity fireset-
ters are boys between the ages
of three and 10.

. B Their motivation for light-.

ing fires may include bore-
dom, lack of parental supervi-:
sion and access’ to matches

and lighters, as well as a

curiosity about fire. ;

&@ Fires set by this group are

. typically in or near the family -

home. :
@ Often the fires are lit unin-
tentionally, as these children
have little or no understand-':
ing of the dangers of their
actions. _ ,
@ Curiosity firesetters may

attempt to extinguish the fire

themselves and- generally. feel -
remorse for their actions.: ~ :
@ Because curiosity can lead
to more ‘serious. firesetting,
early recognition and. detec-

@ . Curiosity -. firesetters
respond well to interventio
‘Problem firesctters:.

@ Fires started by these ¢
dren are deliberately set. .

~The ‘children. are- old

-enough to “understand | the
dangers of their actions.”

@ They ‘are’ motivated: by
strong - emotional distre

. father than curiosity. .

~@ Problem firesetters ‘tend

be older. males. betv
ages of seven and 18

. @ They come from.a- wide

n” the

range of behavioural. srofiles
x of socio-:

@ Typically, this group. is of.
average intelligence, may. have
some learning difficulties and.
often demonstrates pdor.aca-
demic and behavioural adjust
ment...

& They have difficulty form-

. ing social rélationships as they

often lack the basic ‘social-

-” skills necessary for good inter-.

personal relations. ~ -

“Problem firesetters may ©

start fires for a number of rea-. .
sons: revenge, a cry for help, :
psychological problems “or
response to an environmental
change such as_ divorce or
death in the family: ~

B@ Fires set by this group are
done so deliberately and often
repeatedly, and’: the children

“tend: to show: little, or “no.

remorse for their actions...) -
B Early detection of problem
‘firesetters is critical: to avoid
repeat behaviour. ve