There has been a growing number of firefighter arsonists. FireHouse reported that the termed, “Hero Syndrome” is not limited to just those in the fire service. Nurses and police officers have also been found to have committed crimes so that they are the ones who respond to the emergency. “Hero Syndrome” is where a person commits a crime, such as setting a fire, in order to respond to the emergency to be the hero. FireHouse reported that Dr. Allen Sapp, professor emeritus of criminal justice at the University of Central Missouri, has researched the syndrome and has developed a guide to address the concern. Dr. Sapp stated that those who often commit these acts are those that may have low self-esteem, are young, and seek recognition. It is important for those of us in the fire service to be aware of such potentials and keep an eye out for a problem. Some aspects to look for are those that may be facing problems at home, alcohol or substance abuse, mental disorders, social maladjustments, and occupational problems. The U.S. Fire Administration reported that some departments have established task forces and trainings to prevent arsonists within their department. The U.S. Fire Administration concluded that those that are fire-setters represent a small fraction of those in the fire service. However, let us be proactive and aware that there is potential for this to occur in our own departments. For more information please review the articles below.

FireHouse:
http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?id=63186&sectionId=46

U.S. Fire Administration Technical Report Special Report: Firefighter
Arson: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr-141.pdf