The Institute for Firefighter Survivability will turn research, fatality investigations and near-miss lessons into practical guidance for fire departments

EMMITSBURG, Md. — Oklahoma State University and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation have launched the Institute of Firefighter Survivability, an initiative aimed at turning fire service research into practical tools to reduce firefighter deaths and injuries.

The institute stems from a three-year agreement signed by OSU and the NFFF in May. The NFFF said in a press release that the partnership combines OSU’s fire protection and safety research with the foundation’s work supporting firefighters and families of fallen firefighters and promoting research-based approaches to firefighter safety.

“What being a land-grant university really means is that we solve practical problems every day,” OSU president Dr. Jim Hess said. “We work with folks just like you in this profession and say, ‘What are the solutions that we can figure out to make people’s lives easier?’ In this case, it’s to make people’s lives safer.”

NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro pointed to OSU’s longstanding ties to the fire service, including Fire Protection Publications, the International Fire Service Training Association and its Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology program.

“As we began developing the Institute for Firefighter Survivability, we knew we needed a partner that understood both research and the realities of the fire service,” Stagnaro said. “OSU brings those worlds together. They have the research capabilities, the experience in training and curriculum development, and a leadership team that shares our belief that far too many line-of-duty deaths can be prevented.”

The institute aims to close the gap between firefighter safety research and field practice by turning lessons from fatality investigations, near-miss reports and health studies into trusted, practical guidance.

OSU students will work with faculty and fire service professionals on real-world safety challenges. The institute will also examine barriers to adopting new technology and practices, including department buy-in and limited budgets.

The institute’s three-year goal is to develop research focused on the causes of firefighter deaths and injuries and ensure those findings reach fire departments through training, education and daily operations.

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