The council was a group of volunteers who started meeting after a series of fires in Jamaica Plain and educated itself about arson, its causes, and its solutions. The text explains how to examine a building's financial situation, the owner's fire history, and other factors to determine if an arson fire is likely and how to intervene before a fire happens. The text explains the different kinds of arson fires, the definition of arson-for-profit, the warning signs of arson, and action steps to take if a problem is identified. Tenants are advised to organize, obtain professional assistance, secure the building, have the building inspected, investigate the building's financial history, go public with their information, demand that repairs be made, and ensure the building's long-term stability. Photographs, list of telephone referral numbers in the Boston area, and checklist showing potential violations of the Massachusetts State sanitary code.