[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 108 (Thursday, August 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7929-S7931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Hollings, Ms. Cantwell, and Mr. 
        Biden):
  S. 2862. A bill to provide for the establishment of a scientific 
basis for new firefighting technology standards, improve coordination 
among Federal, State, and local fire officials in training for and 
responding to terrorist attacks and other national emergencies, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senators 
Hollings, Cantwell, and Biden in introducing the Firefighting Research 
and Coordination Act. This legislation would provide for the 
establishment of the scientific basis for new firefighting technology 
standards; improved coordination between Federal, state, and local fire 
officials in training and response to a terrorist attack or a national 
emergency; and authorize the National Fire Academy to offer training to 
improve the ability of firefighters to respond to events such as the 
tragedy of September 11, 2001.
  The purpose of this legislation is to act upon some of the lessons 
learned from the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and 
address other problems faced by the fire services. On September 11, the 
New York City fire fighters and emergency service personnel acted with 
great heroism in selflessly rushing to the World Trade Center and 
saving the lives of many Americans. Tragically, 343 firefighters and 
EMS technicians paid the ultimate price in the service of their 
country. While we strive to prevent any future attack in the United 
States, it is our duty to ensure that we are adequately prepared for 
any future catastrophic act of terrorism. In addition, we must 
recognize that many of the preparations we make to improve the response 
to national emergencies will also prepare our firefighters for their 
everyday role in protecting our families and homes.
  Today's firefighters use a variety of technologies including thermal 
imaging equipment, devices for locating firefighters and victims, and 
state-of-the-art protective suits to fight fires, clean up chemical or 
hazardous waste spills, and contend with potential terrorist devices. 
The Federal government's Firefighter Investment and Response 
Enhancement, FIRE, program is authorized for $900 million this year to 
assist local fire departments in purchasing this high-tech equipment. 
It is important that the American taxpayers' money is used for 
effective new equipment that will protect our local communities.
  Unfortunately, there are no uniform technical standards for this new 
equipment for combating fires. Without such standards, local fire 
companies may purchase equipment that does not satisfy their needs, or 
even purchase faulty equipment. For example, Montgomery County, MD, 
spent $40,000 on ``Level B'' protective suits that they cannot use, 
because these suits have ``booties'' that are not compatible with the 
firefighter's boots. Currently, local fire departments also have 
problems using each other's fire hoses and air bottles for self-
contained breathing apparatuses because of inconsistent equipment 
standards. It is important that new equipment performs properly and is 
compatible with older equipment.
  This bill seeks to address the need for new equipment standards by 
establishing a scientific basis for voluntary consensus standards. It 
would authorize the U.S. Fire Administrator to work with the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, the Inter-Agency Board for 
Equipment Standardization and Inter-Operability, and other interested 
parties to establish measurement techniques and testing methodologies 
for new firefighting equipment. These new techniques and methodologies 
will act as a scientific basis for the development of voluntary 
consensus standards. This bill would allow the Federal government to 
cooperate with the private sector in developing the basic uniform 
performance criteria and technical standards to ensure that 
effectiveness and compatibility of these new technologies.
  Many issues regarding coordination surfaced on September 11. Titan 
Systems Corporation recently issued an after-action report, on behalf 
of the fire department of Arlington County, VA, which highlighted 
problems between the coordination of Washington D.C., and Arlington 
County fire departments. The report also cited the confusion caused by 
a large influx of self-dispatched volunteers, and increased risk faced 
by the ``bonafide responders.'' These conclusions are consistent with 
an article by the current U.S. Fire Administrator, R. David Paulison, 
in the June 1993 issue of Fire Chief magazine, where he described being 
overwhelmed by the number of uncoordinated volunteer efforts that 
poured into Florida after Hurricane Andrew. Additionally, many fire 
officials and the General Accounting Office have highlighted the 
duplicative nature of many Federal programs and the need for better 
coordination between federal, state, and local officials.
  The bill also seeks to address these problems by directing the U.S. 
Fire Administrator to work with state and local fire service officials 
to establish nationwide and state mutual aid systems for responding to 
national emergencies. These mutual aid plans would include collection 
of accurate asset and resource information to ensure that local fire 
services could work together to deploy equipment and personnel 
effectively during an emergency. This legislation would also establish 
the U.S. Fire Administrator as the primary point of contact within the 
Federal government for state and local firefighting units, in order to 
ensure greater Federal coordination and interface with state and local 
officials in preparing and responding to terrorist attacks, hurricanes, 
earthquakes, or other national emergencies. In addition, the bill would 
direct the U.S. Fire Administrator to report on the need for a strategy 
for deploying volunteers, including the use of a national credentialing 
system. Currently, there is a system for credentialing volunteers to 
fight wildfires that has proven effective, and the development of a 
similar system may prevent some of the confusion that occurred at the 
World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11.
  Finally, the bill would improve the training of state and local 
firefighters. The bill would authorize the National Fire Academy to 
offer courses in building collapse rescue; the use of technology in 
response to fires caused by

[[Page S7930]]

terrorist attacks and other national emergencies; leadership and 
strategic skills including integrated management systems operations; 
deployment of new technology for fighting forest and wild fires; 
fighting fires at ports; and other courses related to tactics and 
strategies for responding to terrorist incidents and other fire 
services' needs.
  This bill would also direct the U.S. Fire Administrator to coordinate 
the National Fire Academy's training programs with the Attorney 
General, Secretary of Health and Human Services and other Federal 
agencies to prevent the duplication in training programs that has been 
identified by the General Accounting Office.
  I am pleased to announce that this legislation is supported by the 
National Volunteer Fire Council; the Congressional Fire Services 
Institute; the National Fire Protection Association; the International 
Association of Fire Chiefs; the International Association of Fire 
Fighters; the International Association of Arson Investigators; and the 
International Fire Service Training Association. I look forward to 
working with my colleagues to ensure passage of this legislation. I am 
aware that some issues, including funding of this legislation, need to 
be addressed.
  Last year, we were caught unprepared and paid a terrible price as a 
result. We must ensure that future firefighters are adequately equipped 
and trained, and are working in coordination to respond to any future 
national emergencies. Every day firefighters rush into burning 
buildings to save the lives of their fellow Americans. It is our duty 
to adequately equip and protect them.
  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I introduced legislation designating the 
year beginning February 1, 2003, as the Year of the Blues and 
requesting that the President issue a proclamation calling on the 
people of the United States to observe the ``Year of the Blues'' with 
appropriate ceremonies, activities, and educational programs. I am 
joined by Senators Cochran, Thompson, and Frist and ask unanimous 
consent that it be printed in the Record.
  It has been said that ``Blues is more than music; Blues is culture. 
Blues is America.'' As a native of Helena, Arkansas, I could not agree 
more. Growing up in the Delta, I often listened to the blues during the 
famous ``King Biscuit Time'' show on my hometown station, KFFA radio. 
The songs I heard often told stories of both celebration and triumph, 
as well as sorrow and struggle.
  Although its roots are in the tradition of the primitive songs of the 
old Southern sharecroppers, the blues has left an important cultural 
legacy in our country and has documented African-American history in 
the last century. As the blues began to transform in style and content 
throughout the twentieth century, its evolution paralleled the 
migration of American life from a rural, agricultural society to an 
urban industrialized nation. The blues has also left an indelible 
impression on other forms of music with its influence heard in jazz, 
rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country, and even classical music. 
Despite these facts, though, many young people today do not understand 
the rich heritage of the blues or recognize its impact on our nation 
and our world.
  That is why I am delighted to introduce this resolution and 
participate in the Year of the Blues project. Coordinated by The Blues 
Foundation and Experience Music Project, The Year of the Blues is a 
multi-faceted entertainment, education, and outreach program recently 
formed to both celebrate and create greater awareness for the blues and 
its place in the history and evolution of music and culture, both in 
the United States and around the world. The program is anchored by high 
profile events, and beginning next year, it will feature a wide array 
of participants, projects, and components designed to reach a large 
audience, as well as support blues oriented education and outreach 
programs, such as Blues in the Schools.
  This project also takes on a special meaning for me because I am a 
``daughter of the Delta,'' and my hometown of Helena has played a large 
role in the development of the blues. Today, Helena serves as a 
temporary blues Mecca each October when the three day King Biscuit 
Blues Festival takes place. And as I noted earlier, it is also the site 
of one of the longest running daily music shows, ``King Biscuit Time,'' 
which continues to air every weekday at 12:15 pm on KFFA radio from the 
Delta Cultural Center Visitors' Center. As long as I can remember, 
``King Biscuit Time'' has been an integral part of life and culture in 
the Delta. Debuting in November 1941, ``King Biscuit Time'' originally 
featured famous harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson, guitarist Robert 
Junior Lockwood, and the King Biscuit Entertainers. When recently 
noting the uniqueness of the show, long-time host ``Sunshine'' Sonny 
Payne recalled that many of the songs played on ``King Biscuit Time'' 
originated during the live broadcasts, and in some cases, words to the 
songs were known to change day to day. After becoming involved with 
this project, I recently came across an article ``Pass the biscuits, 
cause it's King Biscuit Time . . . '' written by freelance writer Lex 
Gillespie. I believe this article provides an accurate account of the 
development of blues in the South, and I ask unanimous consent to 
submit it for the Record.
  So as you can see, the blues has been an important part of my life 
and the life of many others. It's a style of music that is, in its 
essence, truly American. But as we move into a new century and embrace 
new forms and styles of music, we must not allow today's youth to 
forget the legacy of our past. By teaching the blues, promoting the 
blues, and celebrating the blues, we can ensure that the rich culture 
and heritage of our forefathers will always live on. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:
                                                   August 1, 2002.
     Hon. John McCain,
     Senate Commerce Committee,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator McCain: The tragic events of September 11th 
     certainly underscored the important need for additional 
     training and advanced technologies for our nation's fire and 
     emergency services. They are equal components in our efforts 
     to prepare our nation for future large-scale emergencies that 
     require rapid deployment of local first responders.
       In the area of technology, we have witnessed an emergence 
     of new technologies designed to improve our level of 
     readiness to future terrorist events and other large-scale 
     disasters. Some of this technology has the potential to 
     address the immediate needs of our nation's public safety 
     agencies; while other requires additional scrutiny and 
     testing before the fire and emergency services can be assured 
     of its intended performance.
       We extend our appreciation for your interest in this matter 
     and for introducing the Firefighter Research and Coordination 
     Act. We support this legislation as a crucial step towards 
     developing and deploying advanced technologies our nation's 
     first responders need in this period of heightened risk and 
     security.
       Working as partners, the United States Fire Administration, 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology, the 
     Interagency Board and other interested parties, including the 
     National Fire Protection Association, can develop a 
     scientific basis for the private sector development of 
     standards for new fire fighting technology. Your legislation 
     will not undermine or duplicate the standards-making process 
     that has served the fire service for over a hundred years, 
     but rather strengthen it in areas of new technologies 
     necessitated by the events of September 11th.
       We also support the other two sections of your legislation 
     calling for coordination of response to national emergencies 
     and for increased training. Our organizations strongly 
     believe that the United States Fire Administrator should 
     serve as the primary point of contact for state and local 
     firefighting units during national emergencies. We have 
     expressed this message repeatedly, including in the Blue 
     Ribbon Panel report presented to then-FEMA Director James Lee 
     Witt in 1998 and most recently in a white paper, titled 
     ``Protecting Our Nation'' that we presented to Congress last 
     year. To ensure the success of this legislation, it is 
     imperative that Congress appropriate additional dollars to 
     carry-out this new role of the Administrator.
       As the threats to our nation's security intensify, so must 
     the level of training for our nation's first responders. We 
     must expose our firefighters and rescue personnel to advanced 
     levels of training and technologies so they can safely 
     respond to all acts of terrorism and other major disasters. 
     The final section of your legislation will help us attain 
     this goal.
       We look forward to working with you in advancing this 
     legislation through Congress. Again, we thank you for your 
     continued support.
           Sincerely,
         Congressional Fire Services Institute, International 
           Association of Arson Investigators, International 
           Association

[[Page S7931]]

           of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire 
           Fighters, International Fire Service Training 
           Association, National Fire Protection Association, 
           National Volunteer Fire Council.
                                  ____

                                  National Volunteer Fire Council,


                                Washington, DC, July 29, 2002.

     Hon. John McCain,
     Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator McCain: The National Volunteer Fire Council 
     (NVFC) is a non-profit membership association representing 
     the more than 800,000 members of America's volunteer fire, 
     EMS, and rescue services. Organized in 1976, the NVFC serves 
     as the voice of America's volunteer fire personnel in over 
     28,000 departments across the country. On behalf of our 
     membership, I would like to express our full support for the 
     Firefighting Research and Coordination Act.
       This legislation would allow the U.S. Fire Administrator to 
     develop measurement techniques and testing methodologies to 
     evaluate the compatibility of new firefighting technology. In 
     addition, it would require new equipment purchased under the 
     FIRE Grant program to meet or exceed these standards.
       The bill would also direct the U.S. Fire Administrator to 
     establish a national plan for training and responding to 
     national emergencies and it would designate the Administrator 
     as the contact point for State and local firefighting units 
     in the event of a national emergency. It would also direct 
     the Administrator to work with state and local fire service 
     officials to establish nationwide and state mutual aid 
     systems for dealing with national emergencies that include 
     threat assessment, and means of collecting asset and resource 
     information for deployment.
       Finally, the bill authorizes the Superintendent of the 
     National Fire Academy to train fire personnel in building 
     collapse rescue, the use of new technology, tactics and 
     strategies for dealing with terrorist incidents, the use of 
     the national plan for training and responding to emergencies, 
     leadership skills, and new technology tactics for fighting 
     forest fires.
       Once again, the NVFC commends your efforts to train and 
     equip America's volunteer firefighters and we thank you for 
     the leadership role you have taken on this issue. We look 
     forward to working with you in the 107th Congress to pass 
     this important piece of legislation. If you have any 
     questions or comments feel free to contact Craig Sharman, 
     NVFC Government Affairs Representative at (202) 887-5700.
           Sincerely,
                                             Philip C. Sittleburg,
     Chairman.
                                  ____


                                S. 2862

       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 ``Firefighting Research and 
     Coordination Act''.

     SEC. 2. NEW FIREFIGHTING TECHNOLOGY.

       Section 8 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 
     1974 (15 U.S.C. 2207) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
       ``(e) Development of New Technology.--
       ``(1) In general.--In addition to, or as part of, the 
     program conducted under subsection (a), the Administrator, in 
     consultation with the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology, the Inter-Agency Board for Equipment 
     Standardization and Inter-Operability, national voluntary 
     consensus standards development organizations, and other 
     interested parties, shall--
       ``(A) develop new, and utilize existing, measurement 
     techniques and testing methodologies for evaluating new 
     firefighting technologies, including--
       ``(i) thermal imaging equipment;
       ``(ii) early warning fire detection devices;
       ``(iii) personal protection equipment for firefighting;
       ``(iv) victim detection equipment; and
       ``(v) devices to locate firefighters and other rescue 
     personnel in buildings;
       ``(B) evaluate the compatibility of new equipment and 
     technology with existing firefighting technology; and
       ``(C) support the development of new voluntary consensus 
     standards through national voluntary consensus standards 
     organizations for new firefighting technologies based on 
     techniques and methodologies described in subparagraph (A).
       ``(2) New equipment must meet standards.--The Administrator 
     shall, by regulation, require that equipment purchased 
     through the assistance program established by section 33 meet 
     or exceed applicable voluntary consensus standards.''.

     SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF RESPONSE TO NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

       (a) In General.--Section 10 of the Federal Fire Prevention 
     and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2209) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Coordination of Response for National Emergencies.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall establish a 
     national plan for training and responding to national 
     emergencies under which the Administrator shall be the 
     primary contact point for State and local firefighting units 
     in the event of a national emergency. The Administrator shall 
     ensure that the national plan is consistent with the master 
     plans developed by the several States and political 
     subdivisions thereof.
       ``(2) Mutual aid systems.--The Administrator shall work 
     with State and local fire service officials to establish, as 
     part of the national plan, nationwide and State mutual aid 
     systems for dealing with national emergencies that--
       ``(A) include threat assessment and equipment deployment 
     strategies;
       ``(B) include means of collecting asset and resource 
     information to provide accurate and timely data for regional 
     deployment; and
       ``(C) are consistent with the national plan established 
     under paragraph (1) for Federal response to national 
     emergencies.''.
       (b) Report on Strategic Needs.--Within 90 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
     United States Fire Administration shall report to the Senate 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
     House of Representatives Committee on Science on the need for 
     a strategy concerning deployment of volunteers and emergency 
     response personnel (as defined in section 6 of the 
     Firefighters' Safety Study Act (15 U.S.C. 2223e), including a 
     national credentialing system, in the event of a national 
     emergency.

     SEC. 4. TRAINING.

       (a) In General.--Section 8(d)(1) of the Federal Fire 
     Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206(d)(1)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon in subparagraph 
     (E);
       (2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (N); 
     and
       (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
       ``(F) strategies for building collapse rescue;
       ``(G) the use of technology in response to fires, including 
     terrorist incidents and other national emergencies;
       ``(H) response, tactics, and strategies for dealing with 
     terrorist-caused national catastrophes;
       ``(I) use of and familiarity with the national plan 
     developed by the Administrator under section 10(b)(1);
       ``(J) leadership and strategic skills, including integrated 
     management systems operations and integrated response;
       ``(K) applying new technology and developing strategies and 
     tactics for fighting forest fires;
       ``(L) integrating terrorism response agencies into the 
     national terrorism incident response system;
       ``(M) response tactics and strategies for fighting fires at 
     United States ports, including fires on the water and aboard 
     vessels; and''.
       (b) Coordination with Other Programs To Avoid 
     Duplication.--The Administrator of the United States Fire 
     Administration shall coordinate training provided under 
     section 8(d)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
     Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206(d)(1)) with the Attorney General, 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the heads of 
     other Federal agencies to ensure that there is no duplication 
     of that training with existing courses available to fire 
     service personnel.
                                 ______