Firebugs Not Allowed

Guarding against Arson

This article is based on the Safety Member Certification training module "Arson and Fire Safety" and the Church Security Guide article How to Handle Fire Safety in the Church.[1][2][3]

From the Bible

And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.

Then the Philistines said, “Who hath done this?” And they answered, “Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion.” And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire (Judges 15:4-6).

And [Nebuzaradan] burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire (2 Kings 25:9).

Introduction

Fire has been a weapon of mass destruction for thousands of years. Whole cities have been burned down by enemies. Forests and fields have been intentionally set on fire, as well as businesses, residences, schools, and places of worship. A deliberately set fire (with some exceptions, depending on the reason) is arson.

There have been - and are - various motives for arson. It may be an act of war. For Zimri (1 Kings 16:18), it was suicide. There may be a financial motive, such as insurance fraud or disabling the competition. Sometimes it is an attempt to cover up a crime. It could be murder, revenge, extortion, or bias (racial, ethnic, or religious). It could be an act of vandalism. Then there are pyromaniacs (also called "firebugs") who have a desire to see things burn, watch firefighters respond, etc.

Since old times, temples, churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious facilities have been targets of arsonists. Since there is always a chance that a place of worship may be an arson target, for whatever reason, it is necessary that churches take measures to prevent arson.

In the News

Canada, 2021-2024 - From 2021 to 2024, many churches in Canada have been hit by arsonists. At first, reports of unmarked graves on the sites of "Indian schools" from the 1800's that were reportedly used to anglicize indigenous children sparked an epidemic of church burnings, especially those near the former schools. Many of the schools had been started and operated by churches as missions. Unfortunately, most of these mission churches are used by First Nation people. With attacks on other churches too, it is now seen as an antichristian movement. A February 14, 2024 National Post article states that in the preceding two months at least six Canadian churches may have been torched.[4]

* On a side note, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on abortion sparked a wave of vandalism, including arson, against Catholic churches, pro-life organizations, and ministries seen as sympathetic to the pro-life movement.

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, September 18, 2024 - A fire at the St. Joseph's Catholic Parish in downtown Ottawa was ruled arson. It destroyed a shed used for charitable collections and social services. The front of the church had a plume of soot between two stained glass windows. Drug paraphernalia was found in or near the shed, raising suspicion that drug use may be connected to the fire.[5]

Miami Gardens, Florida, October 6, 2024 - Arson is suspected as the cause of a fire in a Miami Gardens church. It started about 9 pm on a Sunday evening. There was extensive damage by fire, smoke, and water. A church neighbor reported seeing two masked men lighting material at the church then running away.[6]

Salem, Oregon, August 31, 2023 - A homeless person who had been living in a downtown mission, is charged with arson after allegedly starting a fire in a dumpster behind a church just four blocks from the state capitol. He already had a criminal record. The fire spread to the roof over the altar area. In fighting the fire, the roof was breached, making the sanctuary unusable until repaired. A Google street view from that fall shows a temporary fence in front of the main entrance and blue tarp on a roof section.

A year later, the arsonist pled guilty and was sentenced to more than three years.[7][8][9]

Byron, Georgia, August 20, 2024 - The offices and sanctuary of the Byron United Methodist Church were severely damaged in an arson fire. It started an hour before midnight. A suspect from a neighboring county was arrested two days later.

Many people in the community, including other churches, offered help and support, including books and hymnals.[10][11][12]

Seattle and nearby counties, Washington, 1992-1993, and 2009 - Seventeen to eighteen years apart, two serial arsonists terrorized the Seattle area.

One fire set by the first arsonist killed three residents in a retirement home. The arsonist confessed to setting 76 fires in four counties, but may have set 107. From a community in the county to the north of King County, he was raised in church. Some of his targets were churches of that denomination. Claiming adolescent abuse by a volunteer firefighter, he was acting out against firefighters in general. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison.

The second serial arsonist was a transient (homeless drifter). He mostly attacked vacant buildings or businesses that were closed for the night. When arrested, he was indicted on eleven counts, eight for second degree arson, three for first degree (putting firefighters' lives at risk).[13][14]

Knoxville, Tennessee, November 11, 2023 - A member came into the church on a Monday. It could have been for the food pantry. While there, she lit clothes and a cardboard box in a storage room with a lighter, then left. Outside, she told staff members that there was a fire inside. Weeks later, following a police investigation, she admitted setting the fire. She had also ignited a box on the front porch of a house.[15]

The Arson-Hardened Church

For some of us the dream church building would be impossible to burn down. However, an unfurnished concrete bunker is not very attractive as a place of worship unless you're on a battlefield. On the other hand, there are ways to reduce the chances of arson at your church. We can categorize these into physical and procedural. Generally, preventing crimes prevents arson, since it is often an act of vandalism or is used to destroy evidence of another crime, such as burglary.

Physical Anti-Arson Measures

We can make the church building and grounds resistant to arson.

• Begin with the building's exterior -
• In a photo of fire damage at St. Joseph Parish in Ottawa,[5] you can see that the exterior wall at that point is stone. It collected soot from the burning shed, but did not ignite, nor even scorch. It pays to have stones, bricks, concrete blocks, or non-burnable siding on the church. This fire-proofs at least the walls.
• The soot column is between two tall windows and goes up close to the eave. Eaves and roofs should also be fire resistant. This has enabled some churches to survive wildfires.
• Pliable yet fire-resistant shields over windows protects them not only from burning, but also from vandalism, including firebombs. Windows on the cathedral in Tulsa resisted firebombs thrown at them.[16]
• Surveillance cameras, if there are enough of them strategically positioned, can reveal activity all around the building and on the grounds. Motion detectors can trigger notifications to persons assigned to monitor the cameras remotely, especially when no one is in the church (such as at night).
• Install alarms for fires on the outside of the church as well as on the inside. Have them alert the fire department. Also have intruder alarms go to the police. Include a sensor for each window and for each vent - not only the ones large enough for persons to get in once they open it: an arsonist can put incendiaries in through vents.
• Landscaping -
• Have trees and shrubs that are less flammable. Deciduous trees are better than conifers. Also have no oily ones, like eucalyptus.
• Don't have shrubbery and trees too close to the walls of the church. This not only makes it harder to spread fire, but it also denies burglars, vandals, attackers, and arsonists places to hide.

Procedural Anti-Arson Measures

There are things we can do to deter arson and to detect and intercept arson attempts.

• Housekeeping -
• Keep debris cleaned up, trash cans covered.
• Keep trash cans and dumpsters away from the walls. Don't provide arsonists with something to use. The fire in Salem, OR, was started in a dumpster.[8]
• Inside the church, keep trash cleaned up and disposed, especially paper and other easily combustible materials. Don't make it too easy for someone inside to casually start a fire, such as in Knoxville.[15]
• Cultivate relationships with the community, law enforcement, and the fire department.
• Neighbors will be more likely to notice suspicious activity around and near the church, and more likely to report it to police and notify congregational leaders or the safety director.
• Law enforcement will be more familiar with the church and its property. If they know the church's schedule of activities, they'll know when it is unoccupied and is therefore more vulnerable to vandalism, burglary, and arson. They'll also be more likely to notify the safety director of known threats in the area or those targeting the church in particular or churches in general.
• When the fire department is consulted in planning construction and remodeling, is invited to inspect the premises, and observes or participates in fire drills, fire extinguisher classes, etc., this builds rapport and familiarizes them with the building(s) and grounds.
• Monitor exterior and interior surveillance cameras. The feed from the cameras should be available remotely, such as on phones and tablets of the Safety Director, some other Safety Team members, and church leaders. Alarms should also transmit to those devices.
• The Escondido mosque arsonist set a fire while guests were sleeping inside. They smelled smoke and put out the fire. But what if they hadn't smelled the smoke in time? Or what if no one was there? An alarm where the fire was set or a motion-triggered camera alert could have notified authorities.[17]
• Notice unusual activity or manners of persons in and around the church. When the church is in session, some would-be arsonists may come in as visitors to case the place. Some of these may consider setting a fire while in the church. Even a church member may do it, as happened in a Knoxville church in 2023, when a member set items in a storeroom on fire.[15]
• Patrol observations - Safety team members on patrol should be alert to signs of
• attempted arson, such as burned materials, or
• preparations for arson, such as items for breaking windows, hidden containers of flammable liquids, etc.

Training Resources

There are resources available to inform you on preventing fires in general and on arson in particular.

Safety Member Certification

"Arson and Fire Safety" is one of eight Safety Member Certification training modules. The other seven modules (classes) are

• Safety Team Fundamentals
• Active Shooter Response
• Deescalating Disruptive Persons
• Protecting Children from Abuse
• Basic Use of Force Laws
• Storms and Disasters
• Mass Trauma Emergencies

Passing all eight of these leads to a two-year certification as a Certified Safety Member. The classes are online. Church Safety Ministries are urged to have all their members trained and certified.[1]

Articles

Sheepdog Church Security has several articles related to the topic of this article. Reading them will help in understanding how to prevent church arson.

1. The first is "How to Handle Fire Safety in the Church" in the Church Security Guide.[2][3]
2. The second is "Fire Service Insights for Church Security Teams," a Guest Article by Terry Berringer.[18]
3. Expert Resources by Kris Moloney has two articles with application to preventing arson, "Basic Patrolling Techniques for New Church Safety Teams: A Guide for Church Safety Pioneers" and "Building Awareness: Recognizing and Reporting Suspicious Behavior for Church Safety Pioneers."[19][20]

Special Offer

We have a special resource for you, a free download. It is Observation Guide: Starting Church Safety on Your Own to help you identify vulnerabilities and take immediate steps to improve your church's safety. It "is packed with actionable tips to help you start your journey as an observant protector." These will help you spot indicators of a potential arsonist, attempted arson, and preparations for arson. Click *HERE* to get it.[21]

Conclusion

Find out how to keep firebugs out of your church.

References

1. Kris, Moloney, "Arson and Fire Safety," Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/bundles/safety-member-certification].
2. Kris Moloney, Church Security Guide, Security Articles, Sheepdog Church Security [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide].
3. Kris P. Moloney, "How to Handle Fire Safety in the Church," Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, November 28, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=fire-safety-in-the-church].
4. Tristin Hopper, "FIRST READING: The Canadian church arsons never stopped," National Post, February 14, 2024 [https://nationalpost.com/opinion/canadian-church-arsons-never-stopped].
5. Quinton Amundson, "Arson damages Ottawa church," The Catholic Register, September 23, 2024 [https://www.catholicregister.org/item/37165-arson-damages-ottawa-church].
6. Amelia Orjuela Da Silva, "Fire damages Miami Gardens church in suspected arson," The Miami Times, October 15, 2024, Updated November 20, 2024 [https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/fire-damages-miami-gardens-church-in-suspected-arson/article_735f3a18-8afa-11ef-a4c5-8bd0e10d11a9.html].
7. Abbey McDonald and Ardeshir Tabrizian, "St. Joseph's congregation grieves, prays after arson damages Salem sanctuary," Salem Reporter, August 31, 2023 [https://www.salemreporter.com/2023/08/31/st-josephs-congregation-grieves-prays-following-extensive-fire-damage-to-salem-sanctuary/].
8. Ardeshir Tabrizian, "Salem man accused of deliberately starting fire at St. Joseph Catholic Church," Salem Reporter, August 31, 2023 [https://www.salemreporter.com/2023/08/31/salem-man-accused-of-deliberately-starting-fire-at-st-josephs-catholic-church/].
9. Abbey McDonald, "St. Joseph's arsonist sentenced to prison one year after fire," Salem Reporter, August 20, 2024 [https://www.salemreporter.com/2024/08/20/st-josephs-arsonist-sentenced-to-prison-one-year-after-fire/].
10. Jesse Fraga, "Byron church has major damage after it was set on fire, police say. Suspect arrested," The Macon Telegraph, Updated August 23, 2024 [https://www.macon.com/news/local/crime/article291320225.html].
11. 13WMAZ Staff, "Byron Police investigating an arson fire at a church," 13WMAZ, August 21, 2024 [https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/byron-police-investigating-arson-fire-at-a-church/93-dab15d6d-2dc3-4768-b64e-950488f7f9fe].
12. Karmen Brown, "Byron United Methodist Church feeling safer to worship following recent arrest of arsonist," 13WMAZ, August 23, 2024 [https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/byron-united-methodist-church-feeling-safer-following-recent-arrest-arsonist/93-1992e1fe-952e-4244-a2c8-813a91839db5].
13. Staff Writer, "Keller sentenced to 99 years for fire deaths," Kitsap Sun, March 11, 1994 [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713161933/http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/1994/Mar/11/keller-sentenced-to-99-years-for-fire-deaths/].
14. Michael Harthorne, "Greenwood arsonist sentenced to 30 years," Westside Seattle, May 29, 2010 [https://www.westsideseattle.com/robinson-papers/2010/05/29/greenwood-arsonist-sentenced-30-years].
15. Camruinn Morgan-Rumsey and Sam Luther, "A Knoxville woman admitted to setting two fires, one inside a church, police say," WVLT8, November 28, 2023, Updated: November 29, 2023 [https://www.wvlt.tv/2023/11/30/pastor-speaks-after-knoxville-woman-admits-she-set-fire-church-police-say/].
16. WGV, "2022 Tulsa Cathedral Stabbing and Arson Attempt," Sheepdog Church Security, December 5, 2022 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/articles/tulsa-cathedral-stabbing-and-arson-attempt].
17. WGV, "2019 Poway Chabad Shooting and Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque Arson," Lesson Learned, Sheepdog Articles, Sheepdog Church Security, December 17, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=2019-poway-chabad-shooting-and-dar-ul-arqam-mosque-arson].
18. Terry Berringer, "Fire Service Insights for Church Security Teams," Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Articles, Sheepdog Church Security, May 2, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=fire-service-insights-for-church-security-teams].
19. Kris P. Moloney, "Basic Patrolling Techniques for New Church Safety Teams: A Guide for Church Safety Pioneers," Expert Resources, Sheepdog Articles, Sheepdog Church Security, March 1, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=basic-patrolling-techniques-for-new-church-safety-teams-a-guide-for-church-safety-pioneers].
20. Kris P. Moloney, "Building Awareness: Recognizing and Reporting Suspicious Behavior for Church Safety Pioneers,"Expert Resources, Sheepdog Articles, Sheepdog Church Security, February 1, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=building-awareness-recognizing-and-reporting-suspicious-behavior-for-church-safety-pioneers].
21. Kris Moloney, "Observation Guide: Starting Church Safety on Your Own to help you identify vulnerabilities and take immediate steps to improve your church's safety," Sheepdog Church Security, © 2024 [https://click.convertkit-mail.com/k0u62qex4h2u7qn3zslhom45r77b8/9qhzhnhpe8n6ngf9/aHR0cHM6Ly9zaGVlcGRvZy1jaHVyY2gtc2VjdXJpdHkudGhpbmtpZmljLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9kaWdpdGFsX2Rvd25sb2Fkcy9jaHVyY2gtc2FmZXR5LW9ic2VydmF0aW9uLWd1aWRl].