Introduction

Risk management, with its attempts to bring a degree of sophistication to decisions on handling and preserving corporate assets, must by necessity begin with personnel who have the knowledge of fire protection necessary to evaluate the risks facing a corporation. The National Fire Protection Association publishes annually the National Fire Codes, in a 12-volume compilation set as well as in individual pamphlet form. These volumes include numerous consensus standards that have been adopted over the years and updated. The Society of Fire Protection Engineers was established in 1950 and is the professional society for fire protection engineers. Insurance organizations and companies, particularly those referred to as the highly protected risk or highly preferred risk carriers, have traditionally been in the forefront of fire protection and fire loss control. Major insurance brokers are an excellent source of assistance in property loss control through their large staffs of specialists employed in this area.