Welcome to Criminalia, a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio.
When Olie's Home Center hardware store on far Oaks Avenue went up in flames on the evening of October tenth, nineteen eighty four, in South Pasadena, California, the fire destroyed the building and killed four people inside. Arson investigators declared the cause was electrical in nature and that it was accidental, but a man named John Orr disagreed with that assessment and was sure that it was set intentionally. John Orr
is a former firefighter, fire captain, and arson investigator. He's also a convicted serial arsonist, and the hardware store is just one example of his crimes. He knew the store fire was arson because he himself had ignited it or set roughly too thousand fires in the Glendale, California area, primarily between nineteen eighty four and nineteen ninety one. He would set a fire and then he'd be part of
the team that investigated it. His peers at first thought he had an uncanny knack for finding a fire's point of origin. When Or was caught after his fingerprint was found at a crime scene, he was charged and convicted on four counts of first degree murder and multiple multiple counts of arson. Sentenced without parole. It's expected he'll be
incarcerated for the remainder of his life. His fire setting is unsettling, but he's actually part of a phenomenon firefighter arson and it's what we're talking about in this episode. Welcome to Criminalia. I'm Maria Tremarky.
And I'm Holly Frye. Firefighters who set fires officially called firefighter arsonists. That's not a new thing. Matthew Hines Aldrich, lead author on the twenty eleven National Volunteer Fire Council's Report on the Firefight Arson Problem and self titled Chief Fire Data Nerd, explains that firefighter arsenists date at least back to the eighteen thirties. That's when you first see reports in the historical record of a farm laborer who was also a part time firefighter who was also executed
for setting a series of fires. Today, the percent of arsenists among the estimated one point two million firefighters in the United States is very small, but they still have a significant impact on both their communities and their units. According to now retired arson investigator and profiler Edward Nordskog quote, there's roughly one hundred firefighter arsenists convicted every year in North America, and all of them are serial arsonists, which
means three or more fires. John Orr, who Maria mentioned in that opening, is considered one of the most prolific, if not the most prolific firefighter arsenist in history.
So how does this happen? How does a firefighter turn into an arsonist? Well, let's take a look. While insurance fraud and personal profit are a few common motives for arson outside the firefighting community, investigators say those aren't necessarily
what drive firefighter arsenists. In nineteen fifty one, Columbia University psychiatrists Noel Lewis and Helen Yarnell published the results of a first of its kind, large scale study of arsenists, and they concluded that overall, arsenists were quote weak individuals. Firefighter arsenists, in their findings, were even more problematic. Lewis and Yarnell's research concluded these arsenists specifically were quote little men with grandiose social ambitions whose natural equipment dooms them
to insignificance. As additional research was and is conducted, though expert beliefs have evolved from categorizing the cause as weakness to an answer that's just not so simple.
Multiple psychological studies have been conducted in more recent decades since the nineteen fifties to determine why someone becomes a firefighter arsenist. Even with a developed FBI profile, which we're going to talk about in just a minute, still, the majority of psychological evaluations that have been used to try to determine if a person will become a firefighter arsenist,
they fail at the task. Detective Joseph Kitzinger, head of the Arson Squad of the Suffolk County Police Department on Long Island, New York, has stated, quote to pinpoint what the actual motivation is, it's complicated. Experts who have studied arson by firefighters agree that it is not easy to determine what motivates a person to change from public servant
to felon. Former Connecticut at State Police Sergeant James Butterworth, who spent years assigned to the State Fire Marshal's office, adds that in his experience, quote, most don't want to hurt anyone or cause anyone a loss of income. These are people who usually begin as highly motivated and highly
trained firefighters. Current research shows that most firefighter arsonists don't actually consider setting fires until after they have joined the fire service, and the impulse usually develops within their first few months or years on the job.
So this profile. In the nineteen nineties, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Behavior Analysis Unit conducted a series of interviews with incarcerated firefighter arsonists, which they then used to outline characteristics of firefighters and firefighter candidates most at risk for becoming fire setters. When they released that profile in nineteen ninety four, it included these nine actress okay, so. One.
They noted most offenders are white males between the ages of seventeen and twenty five, And this makes sense when you consider that in the United States, nearly all more than ninety five percent of firefighters identify as male, and eighty five percent are white.
Two.
One or both parents were missing from the home during that firefighter's childhood. If they grew up in an intact home, the FBI described the emotional atmosphere as likely mixed and unstable. Three. Many have a cold, distant, hostile, or aggressive relationship with their biological father. Four they have poor marital adjustment, or if they aren't married, it's likely they live with their parents.
Five they lack stable interpersonal relationships. Six they have poor occupational adjustment, and also in regard to their work history, they often have experience working in menial labor jobs and racle positions or as skilled laborers. Seven they are interested in fire service in the context that it provides a stage for excitement, not for the public service.
Eight they are.
At a higher risk for alcoholism, childhood hyperactivity, depression, borderline personality disorder, and suicidal ideation. And last on their list, firefighter arsonists have average to hire intelligence but poor academic performance. So that is a lot to unpack. We're going to take a break for a word from our sponsor, and when we return, let's talk about this profile and the slight variations and expansions that have occurred since it was compiled.
Welcome back to Criminalia. Let's talk about that profile that Maria read about before the break, and let's also get into what motivates a firefighter to commit acts of arson and how it differs from arsonists in the general population.
In the nineteen nineties, the FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime developed a report in which they addressed the telltale signs a firefighter was intentionally setting fires. One hallmark was a large increase of fires within that fire department's area of operation. Their research also showed quote that the number one motive was excitement, especially among young firefighters who were eager to put their training to practical use and to be seen as heroes to fellow firefighters
and the community they serve. Their research also corroborated that the firefighter arsonist is likely to have worked with the fire department for only a short time they reported less than three years. Their report also described that most of and firefighter arsenists follow a pattern. They begin by setting small fires like dumpster fires or brush fires. The FBI
describes these as nuisance fires. The firefighter arsenist would then advance to more serious cases, such as igniting vehicles or buildings.
The National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime concluded that the desire to be respected by their peers and to show how proficient they are in their trade is what often leads a firefighter to become an arsonist. So let's talk about how the hero complex comes into play here. Also called arson do to vanity. Problems can develop when a firefighter seeks praise or attention from their community for
doing their job. Some profiles of firefighter arsenists call them vanity fire setters and describe them as often being young and inexperienced, with an inclination toward drama or a need for an adrenaline rush. According to doctor k Our Fineman, a forensic and clinical psychologist, volunteer firefighters who commit arson often see themselves as outsiders and they have an intense
need for approval. Many act alone in their crimes, but experts believe that when firefighter arson is a group effort, it's often a result or a consequence of young firefighters intense feelings of camaraderie and fraternity with those in their firehouse, says Fineman. Similarly to the report by the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, quote they want so very much to prove themselves and be seen not just as a hero, but as someone who is doing the
work properly. A two thousand and three report by the United States Fire Administration echoes this and states that quote their main reason for lighting the fire is so they can appear as a hero. Either by being the first to spot the flames or by rescuing people and saving property.
In addition to the hero complex factor in firefighter arson cases, boredom is also a factor, as fire departments in rural towns and suburbs may not have many opportunities to roll out their equipment. Fires just may not occur very frequently in their region. Former arson investigator Nordskog has said of the phenomenon, quote, it's not uncommon for a firefighter to not see a fire for months at a time, and
boredom sets in. Stephen wolutis, a lawyer in Comac, New York, has represented firefighter arsonists in court and agrees competitiveness can drive a young firefighter. He has said, quote, firefighters would go to many tournaments with other fire departments, and some were ribbed at how inactive their fire department was, how they didn't have a lot of fires.
So there's the hero complex, then there's the desire for excitement, and then there's also the problem of family tradition. Nordskog, whose work includes improving the profile of firefighter arsenists, has explained that family legacy, which is common in protective services works such as firefighting and law enforcement can also sometimes
be a factor. He stated, quote, some of these guys are trying to live up to the war stories of their parents or uncles who may have been in the fire service in the past.
Daniel Aber is a retired agent who worked with the Department of Justices Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as an arsen and explosives investigator for many of his twenty seven years in law enforcement. Of the motivations affecting firefighter arsonists, he like other current experts, agrees that most firefighters who engage in arson do so out of boredom or competitiveness, but he also adds that some, under a misguided guys believe that it will help with a fire
unit's training efforts. Lighting fires illegally is a felony, whether the arsonist is a firefighter or not. Aber has stated to potential and active firefighter arsonists quote, understand this, This is not a game. It is a crime. You will be caught at some point and no mercy will come your way.
On that severe statement, We're going to take a break for a word from our sponsor, and when we return we'll discuss how and why the profile that's been created isn't really working, and how firehouses have historically dealt with in house firefighter arsenists.
Welcome back to criminalia. We've talked about what experts have learned about the problem, so now let's talk about how they're trying to fix it.
Firefighters who intentionally light illegal fires are a bit of a contradiction researchers, universities, the FBI. Many people have been studying them for years to try to better understand them. Retired FBI arson analyst Timothy Huff has written about the importance of candidates screening and background checks and a need for increased awareness and action among firehouses to proactively face
this problem. Experts have tried for years to use available research to identify who's an arson risk before they become a firefighter, but with little luck. Retired arson and explosives investigator A Bear has said of the phenomenon, quote, it happens more than you think. Really, it goes on way more than anyone knows. We don't know about most of.
Them, Describing what it's like hiring and managing firefighters. Albert Lampy, former chief of the Edison Division of Fire in New Jersey has explained that the law allowed him as chief to really scrutinize his paid employees much more rigorously than volunteer firefighters and candidates. Said Lampy quote, it's hard to deny someone when they want to be a volunteer, but you can't require a volunteer to submit to psychological testing
and other screening procedures. Volunteer applicants, just like professional applicants, must pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test, which assesses your ability to physically do the job. Candidates also must pass
a written test designed to evaluate basically two things. A person's cognitive abilities, such as your ability to read and understand policies and directives and tactical plans, and it also evaluates your non cognitive traits, such as whether or not you're a team player, but there's little emphasis placed on psychological evaluation.
Today, the latest research is being used to educate fire departments about the arson phenomenon and how to end what some experts call a culture of inside firehouses. According to a bear quote, there's a mentality among firefighters to protect your own and though it's not something that's spoken about, some fire units quietly push out firefighters when they suspect them of arson. Some units historically have chosen to deal
with the problem internally. But here's the thing. Many incidents are unreported, and that is how it's been for a long time. Nordskog, who tracks serial arson cases, has stated that quote most law enforcement records don't routinely differentiate between arsenists who are firefighters and those who are not, and of those known to be firefighter arsenists, he explains, quote, fire agencies historically hide these states. Heinz Aldrich of the
unhealthy culture. Quote. This has long been a taboo topic in the fire service.
Now retired New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Bill Degnan has stated quote, I feel very strongly that an arsonist needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He's also said that he has quote no patience and zero compassion for arson and personally believes the crime is more egregious when it's committed by a firefighter. According to Degnant, quote,
they're in a position of public trust. Whether they're full time paid firefighters or their volunteers, they should all be held to the same standard.
Some experts have recommended national databases or tracking systems to be implemented, but without a comprehensive psychological evaluation for all firefighters during the onboarding and hiring process. Those who study the phenomenon believe fire units will continue to fail to eliminate any in every candidate who is likely to be
or become an arsonist. In some jurisdictions. In some states in the US, firefighter arsen task forces have been established, and they focus on training and education as well as things like how to conduct an appropriate background check. Retired fire Commissioner David Fischler of the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services has said, quote, there are people who are bad apples in any profession. Anytime we can stop just one person, it's a success.
So I hear, we have a tasty drink to go along with this.
Listen, it's very delicious. It is not a hot thing. It has no holapana or smoke note at all. But I was trying to think of something because this is one of those things that for me and I suspect a lot of other people is a scary topic. Yes, the idea that the people that are sworn to protect you are in fact not going to do that is upsetting. So I thought, maybe while we deal with these issues, we have a drink that is comforting and delicious. I
was thinking about that phrase regarding bad apples. I will say this. I'm calling it the bad Apple, but like, that's not a very original name for a drink, and I know that there are a lot of drinks called bad apple. But this is our version, and it starts with things we have not put in a drink before. And you're gonna be like, Holly, you might have lost it finally, or maybe you've always thought I had, but
this does something really lovely. So you're actually gonna start with a half a cup of apple sauce, throw that in your shaking tin, and then add in two ounces of vodka and let that sit while you're getting your other stuff together. Give it a stir. You can also, if you want to, like kick it up a little and make it fen sy, add a couple of drops of bitters. I have a bitter called Golden Bitters, and it's got like cardamom and like very warm but soft
notes to it. So if you want to, you can literally just add cardamom or something from your spice rack or your spice cabinet and that works too, So again, let that all sit together after a good stir, and then you will add to your shaking tin a half ounce of lemon juice, a half ounce of demarar syrup, and a half ounce of vanilla liqure, and then you'll put your ice in and you'll I would do a dry shake without ice first because that apple sauce does
some things to the viscosity. And then I would add your ice and shake it so you get it nice and cold. And then you're obviously gonna have to double strain this. You don't want a slushy. You want something almost It takes on the notes of the apple sauce and some of the thickness from it, but it's still very liquid. It's not it's not putting ye inconsistency or heavy like that. So you're gonna double strain it, strain
it basically over a mess strainer. I had to let mine sit for a few minutes and strain itself because that apple sauce does trap a lot of moisture. But then what you have do that over ice. It's such a beautiful drink because you get a lot of that beautiful apple flavor. That warm note if you've added the bitters or the cardamom does a really nice thing, and the vanilla finish like it's not too sweet. I didn't mention I would use unsweetened apple sauce. You literally just
want pure ead apple involved. You don't want extra sugars in there. It's like a grown up version of an apple e drink that's not too candy like. It's like the flavor of apple without all the sugar, and that's really nice. So that is the bad apple. Here is how you do the mock tanpe. Oh yeah, I have been saying that I'm trying to ease off of things like cinnamon that are very obvious things, but this might
be one where you can't avoid it. Because I would start with if your local store has like an apple tea that's great ours, which is just like a big chain grocery store, they only had an option that was apple with cinnamon in it, and that's fine, but just know and in that case you are you can use
apple tea in lieu of that vodka. If you really only want regular apple sauce flavor, you can actually use water here and it's gonna be fine and then in lieu of vanilla liqueur, you're going to use vanilla syrup. But if you do that, you might want to dial back on the demurra a little bit. We already have only a half ounce, but you could pull it back to a quarter ounce to soften up the sweetness. Otherwise the bad apple. It will make you feel sort of comforted,
even though you know that they're firefighter arsonists. Again, I feel compelled to note that it's a small, small percentage.
Remember we set one hundred people in North America out of the one point two million in the United States. This is a small.
Number, but small. But if you find that unsettling, of course it is. It's unsettling that anybody wants to see these kinds of things. Have a little drink, whether it's alcoholic or not, and just comfort yourself. We hope that you have enjoyed this time with us, even if it is unsettling information, and we will be right back here again next week with another story of arsen and I Know that a Little drinky poop. Criminalia is a production
of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from Shondaland Audio, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.