Delegation Watches Wildfire Simulation in South Carolina Lab

Members of Congress traveled to South Carolina to watch a simulated wildfire and learn how building codes can lessen a fire’s destruction.

Four Republican congressmen toured the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety in Chester County on Tuesday. They included South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney and members of the House committee that oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which responds to natural disasters.

Their tour included a demonstration of how wind-blown embers ignite a home, meant to show how different building and landscaping materials perform in wildfire conditions. The insurance industry hopes the lab’s research results in widespread use of construction methods that save lives and property, reducing costs.

The congressmen also discussed what can be done to encourage homebuyers to make choices that cost a bit more upfront.