I added a couple photos of my Brother during happy times because just pictures of the blast and memorials is too depressing.  I wanted everybody to know Mike was a well rounded person who loved every minute of his 39 years here and according to my dad planned on being a firefighter from the time he could speak.

I joined this website not because I am a fireman but a brother of firefighter Michael Austin who was killed in the 1983 propane explosion in Buffalo New york. I just came across the article written by MIke Lombardo who is now commissioner of the buffalo department. My experience during the time during the funeral all those years ago and has given me a glimpse into what it means to be a fireman. The "brotherhood" is a bond as strong as any family bond and depending on the family sometimes even… Continue