Nationally incendiary or suspicious structure fires resulted in $1.34 billion in property damage. Of that total, $2.865 million were damages caused in the Wichita community. Along with the monetary losses, the entire community is affected because of businesses that are forced to close after a fire, jobs lost and the damage to the community image due to burned out vacant structures. Last year in Wichita alone there were 287 fires that required investigation, 108 of which were determined to be arson.

On Tuesday, May 7^th, 2002, 2:00 PM, at Fire Station #1, representatives from the Wichita Fire Department, Wichita Area SafeKids, Sedgwick County Fire Department, McConnell Fire Department, Juvenile Field Services, Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center, ComCare, Family Consultation Service, Via Christi Regional Medical Center, District Attorney’s Office, Wesley Medical Center, SRS, Salvation Army, Red Cross and the 18^th Judicial District will gather in order to introduce and provide information regarding the Y-Fire Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Program. The Y-Fire Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Program is designed to include early intervention through interagency cooperation, and increased public awareness of this devastating problem plaguing our communities.