Short title

This Act may be cited as the

United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The loss of life due to fire has dropped significantly over the last 25 years in the United States. However, the United States still has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world. For 2006, the National Fire Protection Association reported 3,245 civilian fire deaths, 17,925 civilian fire injuries, and $11,307,000,000 in direct losses due to fire. (2)Every year, over 100 firefighters die in the line of duty. The United States Fire Administration should continue its leadership to help local fire agencies dramatically reduce these fatalities. (3)Members of the fire service community should continue to work together to further the promotion of national voluntary consensus standards that increase firefighter safety. (4)The United States Fire Administration provides crucial support to the Nation’s 30,300 fire departments through training, data collection, fire awareness and education, and other activities for improving fire prevention, control, and suppression technologies. (5)The collection of data on fire and other emergency incidents is a vital tool both for policy makers and emergency responders to identify and develop responses to emerging hazards. Improving the United States Fire Administration’s data collection capabilities is essential for accurately tracking and responding to the magnitude and nature of the Nation’s fire problem. (6)The research and development performed by the Federal Government and non-government organizations on fire technologies, techniques, and tools advance the capabilities of the Nation’s fire service to prevent and suppress fires. (7)The United States Fire Administration is one of the strongest voices representing the Nation’s fire service within the Federal Government, and, as such, it should have a prominent place within the Federal Government.

Authorization of Appropriations for United States Fire Administration

Section 17(g)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216(g)(1)) is amended— (1)in subparagraph (C), by striking and after the semicolon; (2)in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (3)by adding after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraphs:

(E)$70,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; (F)$72,100,000 for fiscal year 2010; (G)$74,263,000 for fiscal year 2011; and (H)$76,490,890 for fiscal year 2012.

National Fire Academy Training Program Modifications and Reports

(a)

Amendments to Fire Academy Training

Section 7(d)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206(d)(1)) is amended— (1)by amending subparagraph (H) to read as follows:

(H)response, tactics, and strategies for dealing with national catastrophes, including terrorist-caused national catastrophes and incidents that involve weapons of mass destruction;

;

(2)in subparagraph (K), by striking forest and inserting wildland; (3)in subparagraph (M), by striking response tactics and and inserting response, tactics, and; (4)by redesignating subparagraphs (I) through (N) as subparagraphs (M) through (R), respectively; and (5)by inserting after subparagraph (H) the following new subparagraphs:

(I)response, tactics, and strategies for fighting large-scale fires or multiple fires in a general area that cross jurisdictional boundaries; (J)response, tactics, and strategies for fighting fires occurring at the wildland-urban interface; (K)response, tactics, and strategies for fighting fires involving hazardous materials; (L)advanced emergency medical services training;

(b)

Triennial reports

Section 7 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2206) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(m)

Triennial report

In the first annual report filed pursuant to section 16 for which the deadline for filing is after the expiration of the 18-month period that begins on the date of the enactment of the United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008, and in every third annual report thereafter, the Administrator shall include information about changes made to the Academy curriculum, including— (1)the basis for such changes, including a review of the incorporation of lessons learned by emergency response personnel after significant emergency events and emergency preparedness exercises performed under the National Exercise Program; and (2)the desired training outcome of all such changes.

(c)

Authorizing the Administrator to enter into contracts to provide on-site training through certain accredited organizations

Section 7(f) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2206(f)) is amended to read as follows:

(f)

Assistance

(1)

In general

The Administrator is authorized to provide assistance to State and local fire service training programs through grants, contracts, or otherwise. (2)

Authorization to enter into contracts to provide on-site training through certain accredited organizations

(A)

In general

The Administrator is authorized to enter into a contract with one or more nationally recognized organizations that have established on-site training programs that prepare fire service personnel to meet national voluntary consensus standards for fire service personnel and that facilitate the delivery of the education and training programs outlined in subsection (d)(1) directly to fire service personnel. (B)

Restrictions

The Administrator shall not enter into a contract with such organization unless such organization— (i)provides training that leads to certification by a program accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation organization; or (ii)at the time the Administrator enters into the contract, provides training under such a program under a cooperative agreement with a Federal agency. (3)

Restriction on use of funds

The amounts expended by the Administrator to carry out this subsection in any fiscal year shall not exceed 4 percent of the amount authorized to be appropriated in such fiscal year pursuant to section 17 of this Act.

(d)

Incident Command Training Course for Fires at Ports Required

Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, in consultation with the Superintendent of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control, shall consolidate and integrate into the current Academy curriculum a course on incident command training for fire service personnel for fighting fires at United States ports and in marine environments, including fires on the water and aboard vessels. Such course shall not relate to border and port security.

National Fire Incident Reporting System Upgrades

(a)

Incident Reporting System Database

Section 9 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2208) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(d)

National Fire Incident Reporting System update

Of the amounts made available pursuant to subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of section 17(g)(1), the Administrator shall use no more than an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 during the 3-year period consisting of fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011 to carry out activities necessary to update the National Fire Incident Reporting system to an Internet-based, real-time incident reporting database, including capital investment, contractor engagement, and user education.

(b)

Technical correction

Section 9(b)(2) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2208(b)(2)) is amended by striking assist State, and inserting assist Federal, State,.

Fire Technology Assistance and Dissemination

(a)

Assistance to fire services for fire prevention and control in wildland-urban interface

Section 8(d) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2207(d)) is amended— (1)by striking Rural Assistance in the heading and inserting Rural and Wildland-Urban Interface Assistance; (2)by striking The Administrator and inserting (1) The Administrator; and (3)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(2)The Administrator is authorized to assist the Nation’s fire services, directly or through contracts, grants, or other forms of assistance, for activities and equipment to improve fire prevention and control in the wildland-urban interface.

(b)

Dissemination

Section 8 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2207) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(h)

Dissemination

Beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of the United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008, the Administrator, in collaboration with the relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government, shall make available to the public information regarding United States Fire Administration funded activities to advance new knowledge and best practices in firefighting, through a regularly updated Internet database.

Encouraging adoption of standards for firefighter health and safety

The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new sections:

37.

Encouraging adoption of standards for firefighter health and safety

The Administrator shall promote adoption by fire services of national voluntary consensus standards for firefighter health and safety, including such standards for firefighter operations, training, staffing, and fitness, by educating fire services about such standards, encouraging the adoption at all levels of government of such standards, and making recommendations on other ways in which the Federal Government can promote the adoption of such standards by fire services.

38.

Training agencies on importance of clearing biomass in Wildland Areas to promote firefighter safety

In collaboration with the relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government, the Administrator shall develop and provide information and training to relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government on the importance of clearing biomass in wildland areas of Federal lands to promote the safety of firefighters.

Coordination regarding fire service-based emergency medical services

(a)

In general

Section 21(e) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2218(e)) is amended to read as follows:

(e)

Coordination

(1)

In general

To the extent practicable, the Administrator shall utilize existing programs, data, information, and facilities already available in other Federal Government departments and agencies and, where appropriate, existing research organizations, centers, and universities. (2)

Coordination of fire prevention and control programs

The Administrator shall provide liaison at an appropriate organizational level to assure coordination of the Administrator’s activities with State and local government agencies, departments, bureaus, or offices concerned with any matter related to programs of fire prevention and control with private and other Federal organizations and offices so concerned. (3)

Coordination of fire service-based emergency medical services programs

The Administrator shall provide liaison at an appropriate organizational level to assure coordination of the Administrator’s activities with State and local government agencies, departments, bureaus, or offices concerned with programs related to emergency medical services provided by fire service-based systems with private and other Federal organizations and offices so concerned.

(b)

Fire Service-Based Emergency Medical Services Best Practices

Section 8(c) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2207(c)) is amended— (1)by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and (2)by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:

(2)The Administrator is authorized to conduct, directly or through contracts or grants, studies of the operations and management aspects of fire service-based emergency medical services and coordination between emergency medical services and fire services. Such studies may include the optimum protocols for on-scene care, the allocation of resources, and the training requirements for fire service-based emergency medical services.

Definitions

Section 4 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2203) is amended— (1)in paragraph (3), by striking Administration and inserting Administration, who is the Assistant Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; (2)in paragraph (7), by striking and after the semicolon; (3)in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; (4)by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), and (8) as paragraphs (7), (8), and (9), respectively; (5)by inserting after paragraph (5) the following new paragraph:

(6)hazardous materials has the meaning given such term in section 5102(2) of title 49, United States Code;

; and

(6)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(10)wildland-urban interface has the meaning given such term in section 101(16) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511(16)).

10.

Supporting the adoption of fire sprinklers

Congress supports the recommendations of the United States Fire Administration regarding the adoption of fire sprinklers in commercial buildings and educational programs to raise awareness of the importance of installing fire sprinklers in residential buildings.