STEVE AUSTIN
Fire Police Officer
Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company
Newark, Delaware

Safer buildings are not just important for home and business owners. Firefighters who respond to emergencies have an important stake in safe buildings. Evaluating buildings has become more difficult with new construction techniques that may change the way buildings fail when exposed to fire conditions. New construction techniques can make on-scene risk assessments challenging.

The late Frank Brannigan, a noted fire service instructor on building design, often cautioned firefighters with the phrase, "The building is your enemy." Professor Brannigan stressed the importance of firefighters knowing how to "read" a burning or collapsing building prior to making entry in an emergency, so as to protect themselves.

How and why did State Farm® get involved in firefighter safety issues? Building stronger and safer homes that better protect customers from harm and their property from damage is important to State Farm. State Farm supports the establishment, adoption, and enforcement of building codes making structures safer and less susceptible to fire.

The company also supports the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), a non-profit group that honors the memory of fallen heroes and helps survivors cope with the loss of a loved one. When NFFF established a program to reduce the number of deaths and injuries to firefighters, they reached out to fire service safety leaders, materials and product testing organizations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and State Farm to develop informational programs.

While not experts in firefighting, State Farm does have considerable knowledge of building design and construction gathered through the Building Technology Research Lab and other departments. They are committed to sharing that information in the hope that the knowledge will help make fighting fires safer.

Working together, we are able to provide information that helps firefighters better understand the danger associated with entering buildings weakened by fire.