The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is raising awareness about the seriousness of the crime of arson during Arson Awareness Week (May 5-11). This year’s theme is Protecting Houses of Worship Against Arson. According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), Each year from 2020 to 2022, an estimated average of 1,300 fires in places of worship were reported to fire departments in the U.S. These fires resulted in an estimated annual average of $74.6 million in property loss. The leading cause of fires in places of worship was cooking (33%), but intentional actions accounted for an additional 15 percent. A statewide Arson Hotline, (800) 252-2947, has been established so that citizens may anonymously provide information about a suspicious fire that has occurred or may occur. To request help from this program you can call 1-844-689-7882 or visit the OSFM website at www.sfm.illinois.gov. These tips listed below can help reduce the risk of arson:

• Keep leaves, firewood, overgrown brush, and shrubbery and other combustibles away from buildings.

• Keep doors and windows locked when a building is unoccupied. Board up abandoned buildings. Do not use double cylinder deadbolt locks without keeping a key nearby, bars without quick release mechanisms, or other security provisions that could trap a person in a building with a deadly fire.

• Store all flammable liquids such as paints, gasoline, and mowers in an approved storage location: locked cabinets, locked storage units, and locked garages (prevent access to kids). Also, keep away from heat sources such as furnaces and any type of heaters.