ADMINISTRATION OF THE ARSON HOTLINE AWARD PROGRAM – T.A.C.A.

Tennessee Advisory Committee on Arson

1. Awards up to $5,000 may be paid for pertinent information which leads to the identification of any person committing or procuring arson as defined under the statutes of the State of Tennessee to residential property, commercial property, public buildings, automobiles, personal property, farms and wild lands.

2. The Board of Directors of the T.A.C.A. will make the determination on who is to receive an award and the amount of the award. The Board of Directors’ decision is final.

3. All awards will be based on the following criteria:

A. Severity of the fire
B. Loss of life
C. Severity of the insurance loss, if any
D. Degree of economic and physical loss to the community
E. Damage suffered by the responding fire departments
F. Personal risk to the Informant
G. Value and usefulness of the information
H. Discretion of the Award Committee

4. Only information on arson occurring within the State of Tennessee will be considered for an award.

5. To be eligible for the consideration of an award, information has to be provided through the ARSON HOTLINE established by the T.A.C.A.

6. No individual of the T.A.C.A. or Federal, State, County or City officials has the right to promise any Informant that he or she will receive an award.

7. Those ineligible to receive an award are:

A. Members of T.A.C.A.
B. Employees of the insurance carrier(s) involved with the loss
C. Public and private arson investigators
D. Certified Law Enforcement personnel (full time and fully salaried) or firemen who are members of chartered fire departments.
E. Prosecuting attorneys and staff members
F. And family members of the above.

8. Recommendations for awards may be made by any authorized fire investigator, fire official, law enforcement official or prosecutor associated with the investigation.

9. Information from an Informant to State, County or Local Investigators should be called in on the ARSON HOTLINE, either by the Informant or the Investigator. The identity of the Informant may be kept confidential at the Informant’s request.

10. Recommendations for awards should be forwarded to the State Fire Marshal’s office for verification. A copy of the HOTLINE call will be attached to the recommendation. All recommendations will be forwarded to the Secretary of the T.A.C.A. at least one week prior to the quarterly meeting at which it is to be considered.

11. Any additional rules, restrictions and/or limits may be established by the Board of Directors with the approval of the T.A.C.A.