[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72094-72095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28779]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2008-0010]


Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Committee Management; Notice of Open Federal Advisory Committee 
Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Board of Visitors for the National Fire Academy (Board) 
will meet on December 17-18, 2013. The meeting will be open to the 
public.

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 2206(j)

DATES: The meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 17, 8:30 a.m. 
to 3:30 p.m. EST and on Wednesday, December 18, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 
EST. Please note that the meeting may close early if the Board has 
completed its business.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the National Emergency Training 
Center, Building H, Room 300, Emmitsburg, Maryland. Members of the 
public who wish to obtain details on how to gain access to the facility 
and directions may contact Cindy Wivell as listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section by close of business December 9, 2013. A 
picture identification is needed for access. Members of the public may 
also participate by teleconference and may contact Cindy Wivell to 
obtain the call-in number and access code. For information on services 
for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance, 
contact Cindy Wivell as soon as possible.
    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment 
on the issues to be considered by the Board as listed in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. Comments must be submitted in 
writing no later than December 9, 2013, and must be identified by 
docket ID FEMA-2008-0010 and may be submitted by one of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail/Hand Delivery: Cindy Wivell, 16825 South Seton 
Avenue, Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words 
``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket ID for this action. 
Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received by the National Fire Academy Board of Visitors, go to 
http://www.regulations.gov, click on ``Advanced Search,'' then enter 
``FEMA-2008-0010'' in the ``By Docket ID'' box, then select ``FEMA'' 
under ``By Agency,'' and then click ``Search.'' Prior to the meeting, 
handouts for the meeting will be posted at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa/about/bov.shtm as soon as they are available.
    There will be a 10-minute comment period after each agenda item; 
each speaker will be given no more than 2 minutes to speak. Please note 
that the public comment period may end before the time indicated, 
following the last call for comments. Contact Cindy Wivell to register 
as a speaker.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Alternate Designated Federal Officer: Denis G. Onieal, telephone 
(301) 447-1117.
    Logistical Information: Cindy Wivell, telephone (301) 447-1157, fax 
(301) 447-1834, and email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the 
Federal

[[Page 72095]]

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (Pub. L. 92-463).

Purpose of the Board

    The purpose of the Board is to review annually the programs of the 
National Fire Academy (NFA) and advise the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through the United States Fire 
Administrator, of the operation of the NFA and any improvements therein 
that the Board deems appropriate. In carrying out its responsibilities, 
the Board examines NFA programs to determine whether these programs 
further the basic missions that are approved by the Administrator of 
FEMA, examines the physical plant of the NFA to determine the adequacy 
of the NFA's facilities, and examines the funding levels for NFA 
programs. The Board submits an annual report through the United States 
Fire Administrator to the Administrator of FEMA, in writing. The report 
provides detailed comments and recommendations regarding the operation 
of the NFA.

Agenda

    On the first day of the meeting, the Board will swear in new 
members, select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for Fiscal Year 
2014, and review and approve the minutes of the May 15, 2013, 
teleconference meeting.
    The Board will then review and give feedback on NFA program 
activities, including: NFA Online, the NFA's web-based learning 
platform for distance learning courses; NFA's mediated course 
deliveries, which provide NFA training through an instructor 
facilitated web-based learning environment; NFA's course material 
download for the Regions and States, which enables direct access to NFA 
course materials through a web-based interface; NFA's Bring-Your-Own-
Device initiative, which allows students to download the student manual 
to their own personal electronic devices and eliminates the use of 
paper-based student materials; the American Council on Education's 
report on its academic review of Academy classes and courses; NFA's 
curriculum for emergency medical services; NFA's curriculum Enterprise 
Shared Workspace, a database system developed to capture and track 
course development and revision activities; and Company Officer 
Development, a proposal for an on- and off-campus company officer 
development program modeled after the current Executive Fire Officer 
Program. The Board will also review and give feedback on NFA's status 
of course development at the end of FY 2013; NFA's curriculum 
development plan for the FY 2014 curriculum; and NFA's Smart Practices/
Lessons Learned Report to Congress, which provides Congress with a 
snapshot of the lessons learned and best practices that have been 
incorporated into the NFA's curriculum and program areas.
    The Board will discuss the Professional Development Subcommittee 
activities, including the Professional Development Symposium that will 
bring national training and education audiences together for their 
annual conference and support initiatives, the Fire and Emergency 
Services Higher Education (FESHE)/Professional Development Subcommittee 
restructuring, and the FESHE Recognition Update that will include a 
list of the colleges and universities that have been approved and that 
have adopted the FESHE curriculum.
    The Board will receive updates on U.S. Fire Administration data, 
research, and response support initiatives, and discuss deferred 
maintenance and capital improvements on the National Emergency Training 
Center (NETC) campus and FY 2014 Budget Request/Budget Planning.
    On the second day, the Board will engage in an annual report 
working session.

    Dated: November 22, 2013
Denis G. Onieal,
Superintendent, National Fire Academy, United States Fire 
Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2013-28779 Filed 11-29-13; 8:45 am]
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