"Firebugs in the Firehouse" Time July 8, 2002
             What is it about fire and flames that persuade these firefighters to start fires when
             they are the ones that should be controlling them?
             1. We are all humans and have a different monopoly on fires.
             2. For all the damage firefighter arsonists do there is no way to tell how many there are
             3. There are about 1.1 million firefighters in the United States but out of that only about
             20% are full time. The rest are part time or volunteers.
             4. Ken Cabe a former fireman of the South Carolina Forestry and others have found
             that a fireman arsonist is between 17 and 26 years of age, and usually with an
             5. For some joining the volunteer firefighters and waiting for a blaze is just not enough
             6. Some will always have a temptation to set a fire, they feel doing this they will be the
             first one to sound the alarm and receive all the recognition. There is always a need
             for this person to be the hero working side by side with the other firefighters putting
             7. It seems also there can be a financial incentive on doing this. For part-time and
             volunteer firefighters they are normally paid by the fires they put out. So this could be
             away for some to generate there cash flow.
             8. According to a clinical psychologist most boys (possibly 90%) and a handful of girls
             (maybe about 15%) have this fascination with fire and flames. This usually happens
             when a child is four to seven years old. These children are very curious and usually
             will outgrow it and find other interests.
             9. By age nine or ten some of these kids are still into fires, very excited about the blaze
             and the flames from this fire. This can be brought on by psychological problems such
             as depression, anger or other things.
             ...