Have a Child Who Is Experimenting With Fire? We Have a Free Program For You!

Operation Extinguish (OE) is a FREE program, for Montgomery County residents conducted by The Chrysalis Group and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service to provide intervention and educational services for juvenile fire setters and their families.  The program combines psychological evaluation and intervention and fire safety education in an effort to eliminate this behavior.

REFERRALS TO THE PROGRAM

Referrals to the OE program originate from a number of sources:

• State of Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice             
• Montgomery County Police Youth Division               
• Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS)
• Juvenile Court and attorneys
• Parents
• Schools
• Other agencies such as hospitals, residential treatment centers and mental health clinics

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

FAMILY INTERVIEW

This structured interview is designed to assess the severity of the fire setting problem, determine the motive behind the behavior, gather additional information regarding the child and family’s functioning, and develop appropriate recommendations. To complete the assessment, the evaluator also may contact relevant outside agencies and the child’s school.

GROUP SESSIONS

All program participants are required to attend three group meetings. These sessions focus on fire prevention, home safety, survival strategies, and burn injuries as well as peer and family discussions exploring such issues as peer pressure, stress and anger management, impulse control, and healthy decision-making. Participants are encouraged to apply these insights to their fire-related behaviors.

RECOMMENDATIONS may be made for individual, group, or family counseling.

Contact:

William Delaney, Program Manager, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service

William.Delaney@montgomerycountymd.gov