By Florida Arson Association
Special to the Gazette
As part of Arson Awareness Week May 6-12th, one group is asking Florida citizens to help “Stomp Out Arson” by participating in a video contest that brings awareness to the dangers of woods arson.
The Florida Forestry Arson Alert Association, a direct support organization of the Florida Forest Service, is hosting the contest to bring awareness to arson-caused wildfires in an effort to curb growing woods arson statistics.
In 2012 alone, more than 20 percent of Florida’s wildfires were caused by woods arsonists. If woods arson continues at this rate, Florida has the potential to double its arson numbers from 2011 – experiencing over 800 arson-caused wildfires burning up to 15,000 acres.
Contest videos must center on the theme “Stomp Out Arson,” and highlight the negative effects of woods arson in a fun, safe, and informative way. Video submissions should be posted on the Florida Forest Service Facebook page. The video that obtains the most Facebook “likes” by May 12th will be declared the winner and will receive a $50 gift card sponsored by the Florida Forestry Arson Alert Association.
To enter the contest, participants should adhere to the following guidelines:
- Videos must incorporate the theme “Stomp Out Arson.”
- Keep videos at 90 seconds or less.
- Absolutely No profanity or vulgarity. Videos containing profanity or vulgarity are prohibited and will be removed immediately.
- Absolutely No live flame. Any videos depicting live flame will be disqualified and removed immediately.
- Only videos posted to the Florida Forest Service Facebook page will be considered.
- Always remember your safety comes first. Do not do anything in your video that could cause harm or injury to you or others.
- For more information on the “Stomp Out Arson” video contest, visit the Florida Forest Service Facebook fan page.
In addition to participating in the contest, the Florida Forest Service and Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement are asking for citizen help in identifying suspected arsonists by reporting suspicious activity to the Arson Alert Hotline at 1-800-342-5869. Callers may remain anonymous and information about an arson-caused wildland fire could be worth up to a $5,000 reward. When reporting suspected woods arson activity, callers should include the following information:
• Descriptions of vehicles and license plates (make, model, color, etc.)
• Physical descriptions of individuals (approximate height, weight, hair color, clothing, etc.)
• Be watchful for suspicious behavior and pinpoint the area to assist law enforcement in their response
• Call 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY if you see suspicious behavior
• DO NOT approach the suspect. Citizen safety comes first!
The Florida Forest Service manages over one million acres of public forest land while protecting over 26 million acres of homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire. For statewide wildfire updates and additional wildfire information, visit www.floridaforestservice.com or follow FFS on Facebook or Twitter.