Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, each year in the Northwest Territories, tragedy strikes as a direct result of fires. In many cases such fires are set by children. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and the NWT Fire Service recognize the urgency of this problem and have worked cooperatively to develop a comprehensive, community-based strategy. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform Members about the NWT Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program. This program will help communities understand the problem of juvenile fire setting and provide an approach that can be used to identify, assess and educate children on fire safety.
Mr. Speaker, this program will also provide communities with a process to assess children and refer problem firesetters to the appropriate mental health professionals. It also includes followup with the children, which helps the communities and the department evaluate the effectiveness of the program and make appropriate adjustments.
The main resource used in this program is the Juvenile Firesetters Intervention Manual. The manual was first used in a pilot training project held in Yellowknife last November, co-sponsored by the office of the Fire Marshal, the NWT Fire Chiefs Association and the Yellowknife Fire Department; training was provided to community fire departments, the Yellowknife Public School Board and representatives from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the Department of Health and Social Services. Regional Assistant Fire Marshals will be implementing the program directly to community organizations in the next few months.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program compliments two other initiatives. The existing Learn Not To Burn Education Program and a new prevention program called Risk Watch. Risk Watch will provide children with a unique opportunity to learn about injury prevention in the areas such as motor vehicles, fire and burn, poisoning, firearm injury, water safety, as well as choking and suffocation. This comprehensive program can be taught as a stand alone unit by community groups or incorporated into school programs. Risk Watch helps children acquire the skills and knowledge they need to recognize and avoid risks and develop a safety sense.
Mr. Speaker, I am confident that these initiatives will provide the tools, information and a network of support to help communities address the problem of fire play and firesetting. I also believe that through these programs we will help northerners protect themselves, their families, their friends and their communities from harm. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause