[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51432-51433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25243]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is submitting a 
request for review and approval of a collection of information under 
the emergency processing procedures in the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) regulation 5 CFR 1320.13. FEMA is requesting the 
collection of information to approved by October 26, 2001.
    Supplementary: Information Public Law 106-398, Fire Investment and 
Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act, Title XVII--Assistance to 
Firefighters, recognized that America's fire departments provide 
service and protection with impact far beyond the borders of the 
communities that support them. In order to provide this service and 
protection with the effectiveness, speed, and safety that their home 
communities and the nation as a whole demand, many fire departments, 
local community and state entities will need to increase their 
resources, in any of several categories. PL 106-398 created a fund to 
support worthy proposals to address these needs. But PL 106-398 also 
recognized that our current understanding of the magnitude and nature 
of fire department needs is not well defined. Furthermore, the 
rationale for Federal government assistance to meet these needs is also 
in need of greater definition, given the normal presumption that 
routine fire protection is a local function, set to meet locally

[[Page 51433]]

defined goals and supported by local resources. Accordingly, PL 106-
398, Section 1701, Sec. 33 (b) required that the Director of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conduct a study to define 
the current role and activities associated with the fire services; 
determine the adequacy of current levels of funding; and provide a 
needs assessment to identify shortfalls

Collection of Information

    Title: U.S. Fire Service Needs Assessment Survey.
    Type of Information Collection: New.
    Abstract: Public Law 106-398, Section 1701, Sec. 33 (b) required 
that the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
conduct a study to define the current role and activities associated 
with the fire services; determine the adequacy of current levels of 
funding; and provide a needs assessment to identify shortfalls. 
America's fire departments provide service and protection with impact 
far beyond the borders of the communities that support them. In order 
to provide this service and protection with the effectiveness, speed, 
and safety that their home communities and the nation as a whole 
demand, many fire departments will need to increase their resources, in 
any of several categories. Current understanding of the magnitude and 
nature of fire department needs is not well defined. Furthermore, the 
rationale for Federal government assistance to meet these needs is also 
in need of greater definition, given the normal presumption that 
routine fire protection is a local function, set to meet locally 
defined goals and supported by local resources. FEMA will use the 
expertise in the United States Fire Administration (USFA), the National 
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) 
drawn from national fire service organizations to define a survey 
questionnaire, the subject of this notice, asking fire departments to 
describe their current resources and to provide such other information 
as will allow for proper interpretation of their responses and 
translate them into needs, relative to a framework of requirements 
developed from the same experts and beginning with the requirements 
embedded in existing national standards and regulations. The resultant 
random stratified survey of fire departments and subsequent analysis 
will be compiled into a report to Congress, and the report also made 
available to the public via the Internet, in order to serve as the 
informational basis for future Federal investment in the fire service.
    Affected Public: Non-for-profit; Federal Government; and State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,958.
    Estimated Cost: The estimated costs to the government will be 
contracted direct labor and associated overhead costs of $277,457. 
There would be no costs to the respondent other than the minimal direct 
labor cost of a single fire service worker taking a small amount of 
time to complete the survey and this would be applicable only to those 
fire departments with career employees. The majority of the respondents 
will be from volunteer fire departments from which no direct labor 
costs will be incurred. The estimate of respondent costs for those 
career departments is computed as follows: estimated number of surveys 
multiplied by the national average hourly rate of a firefighter of 
$18.65 multiplied by 0.33 (representing the estimated 20 minutes it 
takes to complete the survey) and multiply that by .25 which represents 
the percentage of respondents who are career (paid) personnel. Using 
this equation, total estimated costs to respondents of $41,770 is 
derived (27,148 estimated surveys  x  $18.65 = $506,310  x  0.33 = 
$167,082  x  0.25 = $41,770). The average cost per survey is $1.53. The 
respondents are under no obligation to complete the survey and may 
refuse to do so or stop at any time so the average cost to the 
respondent could easily not be incurred by refusing to fill out the 
survey.

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, Chief, Records Management Section, Program Services and 
Systems Branch, Facilities and Services Management Division, 
Administration and Resource Planning Directorate, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW, Room 316, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Mark A Whitney, Fire Program 
Specialist, U.S. Fire Administration, (617) 984-7465, for additional 
information. You may contact Ms. Anderson for copies of the proposed 
collection of information at telephone number (202) 646-2625 or 
facsimile number (202) 646-3347 or e:mail [email protected].

    Dated: September 28, 2001.
Reginald Trujillo,
Branch Chief, Program Services and Systems Branch, Facilities and 
Services Management Division, Administration and Resource Planning 
Directorate.
[FR Doc. 01-25243 Filed 10-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-01-P