State Farm has made a gift of $17,000 in support of the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Network of Fire Adapted Communities Program. Offered in coordination with University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä Cooperative Extension's Living With Fire Program, the Network is designed to educate and to assist fire-prone communities in implementing pre-fire activities to minimize damage resulting from future wildfires.
Established in 2014, the Network provides educational material, both online and in printed form, and offers events and activities to educate community members on how to prepare themselves, their homes and entire community to survive a wildfire. In ÁùºÏ±¦µä, this training is especially important, as this year alone, nearly 250,000 acres have burned in ÁùºÏ±¦µä wildfires. Since its inception, membership in the Network has nearly tripled. The collaborative Living With Fire Program reached more than 30,000 people last year and is co-managed by University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä Cooperative Extension Natural Resources Specialist Ed Smith and Marketing Specialist Sonya Sistare.
"This is a valuable partnership to help save lives and protect property. It just fits with our 'Good Neighbor' beliefs," said State Farm Public Affairs Specialist Naomi Johnson.
State Farm will be presenting the check during the Washoe County Wildland-Urban Interface Communities Meeting on Nov. 9 at the Washoe County Cooperative Extension office, 4955 Energy Way in Reno.
State Farm's involvement in the program will increase the reach of the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Network of Fire Adapted Communities in many ways, including its active participation in distributing printed materials and its sponsorship of the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Wildfire Awareness Multi-Hour Trail Run event on May 13, 2017. State Farm has provided support to the University for three decades, fulfilling its philanthropic goal of building safer, stronger and better-educated communities.
