Since 1963, Steve Austin has been a member of the volunteer fire service. Having served in four states, he currently is a member of the Aetna Hose, Hook, and Ladder Company in Newark, DE, and the Allison Hook and Ladder Co in Harrisburg, PA. Austin has been a staunch advocate at the local, state, and national levels for numerous first responder issues, including the Assistance to Firefighters Grant and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant programs. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions with numerous organizations, including the Congressional Fire Services Institute, the International Association of Arson Investigators, and the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firefighters Association. He was the first chair of NFPA 1033: Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigators and the first chair of NFPA 1091: Standard for Traffic Control Incident Management Professional Qualifications. In 1997, FEMA Administrator James Lee Witt appointed Austin as Chair of the Blue Ribbon Panel that reviewed the state of federal fire programs and offered recommendations for enhancing USFA’s mission.
As a founding member of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Emergency Responder Safety Institute, Austin has dedicated significant time and effort to promoting safe operations on roadways for the fire service, law enforcement, and other responder groups. He is past president of the Delaware Volunteer Firefighter’s Association (DVFA), and was the first Chair of the Board of Directors of the First Responder Center for Excellence. His contributions to the fire service have garnered him many awards and recognitions, including the CFSI Mason Lankford Fire Service Leadership Award and the NVFC Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, he was inducted into both the Firehouse Magazine Hall of Fame and the National Fire Heritage Hall of Legacies, Legends, and Leaders.
