[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4847 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 4847


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 4, 2008

     Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland 
                   Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Fire Administration 
Reauthorization Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. 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.

SEC. 3. 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.''.

SEC. 4. 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.

SEC. 5. 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,''.

SEC. 6. 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.''.

SEC. 7. 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:

``SEC. 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.

``SEC. 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.''.

SEC. 8. 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.''.

SEC. 9. 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)).''.

SEC. 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.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 3, 2008.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.