[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 511-512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-116]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity 
to comment on the proposed information collection. In accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), this 
notice seeks comments concerning the National Fire Incident Reporting 
System (NFIRS); a national annual collection of fire incident data.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 93-498, Federal Fire Prevention 
and Control Act of 1974, Section 9(a) authorizes the Administrator, 
U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), to operate the National Fire Data 
Center (NFDC). The purpose of the NFDC is to provide an accurate 
nationwide analysis of the fire problem, identify major problem areas, 
assist in setting priorities, determine possible solutions to problems, 
and monitor the progress of programs designed to reduce fire losses. 
The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) was designed as the 
vehicle to gather, analyze, publish, and disseminate data related to 
the prevention, occurrence, control, and results of fires of all types.

Collection of Information

    Title: National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).
    Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement, with change, of a 
previously approved collection for which approval has expired.
    OMB Number: 3067-0161.
    Form Numbers: NFIRS-1, Incident Report is used to describe each 
incident (or call) to which a fire department responds--Hour burden, 1.
    NFIRS-2, Civilian Casualty Report is used to report injuries or 
deaths of civilians or other emergency personnel (such as police or 
ambulance attendants) that occur in conjunction with an incidents--Hour 
burden, 55 minutes.
    NFIRS-3, Fire Service Casualty Report is used to report injuries or 
deaths of fire service personnel that occur in conjunction with any 
incident response--Hour burden, 50 minutes.
    NFIRS-4, Fire Department Identification, contains information that 
the State NFIRS Program Manager must collect for each fire department 
reporting on NFIRS--Hour burden, 30 minutes.
    NFIRS-5, Report of Submitted Incidents contains information that 
the State NFIRS Program Manager may use to help verify and balance the 
number of incidents contained in the computer with the number of actual 
incident report forms submitted--Hour burden, 30 minutes.
    NFIRS-HMI, Hazardous Material Incident Report is used in 
conjunction with NFIRS-1 to provide detailed information about 
hazardous material incidents so that data can be gathered to assist 
local, state and national agencies in dealing with national problems--
Hour burden, 45 minutes.
    Abstract: NFIRS data is used at the Local, State, and Federal 
levels as a standard method of collecting information concerning fire 
incidents, which is employed to quantify national experience and to 
formulate intervention strategies which target loss reduction from 
fire.
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 14,000.

[[Page 512]]

    Number of Responses: 980,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 983,000
    Estimated Cost: $1.6M

Comments

    Written comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed 
data collection is necessary for the proper performance of the agency, 
including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) 
evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. 
Comments should be received within 60 days of the date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to Muriel 
B. Anderson, FEMA Information Collections Officer, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW, Room 316, Washington, DC 20472. 
Telephone number (202) 646-2625. FAX number (202) 646-3524 or email 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexandra Furr, Branch Chief, National 
Fire Data Center, (301) 447-1353. Contact Ms. Anderson at (202) 646-
2625 for copies of the proposed collection of information.

    Dated: December 23, 1998.
Reginald Trujillo,
Director, Program Services Division, Operations Support Directorate.
[FR Doc. 99-116 Filed 1-4-99; 8:45 am]
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