A bill to reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, and for other purposes.

Summary: United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations for the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) for FY2009-FY2012.

(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Superintendent of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control to include within fire service personnel training: (1) tactics and strategies for dealing with natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters; (2) applying new technology and developing strategies and tactics for fighting wildfires; (3) tactics and strategies for fighting large-scale or multiple fires in a general area that cross jurisdictional boundaries, fires occurring at the wildland-urban interface, and fires involving hazardous materials; and (4) advanced emergency medical services training.

Increases (from 4% to 7.5%) the percentage of authorized USFA appropriations that may be used for assistance to state and local fire service training programs.

Authorizes the Superintendent to conduct on-site training. Authorizes the Administrator of USFA to contract with nationally recognized organizations that have established on-site training programs that comply with national voluntary consensus standards for fire service personnel to facilitate the delivery of USFA education and training programs directly to such personnel. Prohibits the Administrator from: (1) contracting with an organization unless it provides training that leads to certification by a nationally recognized accreditation organization or an equivalent program; and (2) expending, in any fiscal year, sums exceeding 7.5% of authorized USFA appropriations for on-site training.

Requires the Administrator to: (1) include in every third annual report information about changes made to the National Fire Academy curriculum; and (2) report on the feasibility of providing training in incident command for appropriate fire service personnel for fires at U.S. ports and in marine environments, including fires on the water and aboard vessels.

(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator to update the National Fire Incident Reporting system to ensure that the information in the system is available, and can be updated, through the Internet and in real time.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Administrator to coordinate with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Wildland Fire Leadership Council, in assisting the nation's fire services in rural and remote areas. Provides for such assistance to include: (1) sponsoring and encouraging research into land-use policies; and (2) assistance to improve fire prevention and control in the wildland-urban interface.

Requires the Administrator, for each fire-related research program funded, to make available to the public on USFA's website: (1) a description of such research program, including its scope, methodology, and goals; (2) information that identifies the individuals or institutions conducting the program; (3) the amount of funding provided by USFA; and (4) the results or findings. Sets forth deadlines for the publication of such information.

(Sec. 7) Requires the Administrator to promote adoption by fire services of voluntary national consensus standards for firefighter health and safety.

(Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) establish a fire service position at the National Operations Center to ensure the effective sharing of information between the federal government and state and local fire services; and (2) designate a state or local fire service official for that position on a rotating basis.

(Sec. 9) Includes among the Administrator's coordination responsibilities to provide liaison to assure coordination related to emergency medical services (EMS) provided by fire service-based systems with federal, state, and local government agencies and nongovernmental organizations, as well as entities concerned with EMS generally. Authorizes the Administrator to conduct studies of the operations and management aspects of fire service-based EMS and coordination between EMS and fire services, which may include optimum protocols for on-scene care, resource allocation, and training requirements.

(Sec. 11) Expresses support for USFA recommendations 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.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This subtitle may be cited as the ``United States Fire 
Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
    Congress makes the following findings:
        (1) The number of lives lost each year because of 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. In 2006, the National Fire 
    Protection Association reported 3,245 civilian fire deaths, 16,400 
    civilian fire injuries, and $11,307,000,000 in direct losses due to 
    fire.
        (2) Every year, more than 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) The Federal Government should continue to work with State 
    and local governments and the fire service community to further the 
    promotion of national voluntary consensus standards that increase 
    firefighter safety.
        (4) The United States Fire Administration provides crucial 
    support to the 30,300 fire departments of the United States through 
    training, emergency incident data collection, fire awareness and 
    education, and support of research and development activities for 
    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 data collection capabilities of the United States 
    Fire Administration is essential for accurately tracking and 
    responding to the magnitude and nature of the fire problems of the 
    United States.
        (6) The research and development performed by the National 
    Institute of Standards and Technology, the United States Fire 
    Administration, other government agencies, and nongovernmental 
    organizations on fire technologies, techniques, and tools advance 
    the capabilities of the fire service of the United States to 
    suppress and prevent fires.
        (7) Because of the essential role of the United States Fire 
    Administration and the fire service community in preparing for and 
    responding to national and man-made disasters, the United States 
    Fire Administration should have a prominent place within the 
    Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland 
    Security.
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:
            ``(E) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which $2,520,000 
        shall be used to carry out section 8(f);
            ``(F) $72,100,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which $2,595,600 
        shall be used to carry out section 8(f);
            ``(G) $74,263,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which $2,673,468 
        shall be used to carry out section 8(f); and
            ``(H) $76,490,890 for fiscal year 2012, of which $2,753,672 
        shall be used to carry out section 8(f).''.
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) tactics and strategies for dealing with natural 
        disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters;'';
        (2) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``forest'' and inserting 
    ``wildland'';
        (3) in subparagraph (M), by striking ``response'';
        (4) by redesignating subparagraphs (I) through (N) as 
    subparagraphs (M) through (R), respectively; and
        (5) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the following:
            ``(I) tactics and strategies for fighting large-scale fires 
        or multiple fires in a general area that cross jurisdictional 
        boundaries;
            ``(J) tactics and strategies for fighting fires occurring 
        at the wildland-urban interface;
            ``(K) tactics and strategies for fighting fires involving 
        hazardous materials;
            ``(L) advanced emergency medical services training;''.
    (b) On-Site Training.--Section 7 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2206) is 
amended--
        (1) in subsection (c)(6), by inserting ``, including on-site 
    training'' after ``United States'';
        (2) in subsection (f), by striking ``4 percent'' and inserting 
    ``7.5 percent''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(m) On-Site Training.--
        ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
    Administrator may enter into a contract with nationally recognized 
    organizations that have established on-site training programs that 
    comply with national voluntary consensus standards for fire service 
    personnel to facilitate the delivery of the education and training 
    programs outlined in subsection (d)(1) directly to fire service 
    personnel.
        ``(2) Limitation.--
            ``(A) In general.--The Administrator may not enter into a 
        contract with an organization described in paragraph (1) unless 
        such organization provides training that--
                ``(i) leads to certification by a program that is 
            accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation 
            organization; or
                ``(ii) the Administrator determines is of equivalent 
            quality to a fire service training program described by 
            clause (i).
            ``(B) Approval of unaccredited fire service training 
        programs.--The Administrator may consider the fact that an 
        organization has provided a satisfactory fire service training 
        program pursuant to a cooperative agreement with a Federal 
        agency as evidence that such program is of equivalent quality 
        to a fire service training program described by subparagraph 
        (A)(i).
        ``(3) Restriction on use of funds.--The amounts expended by the 
    Administrator to carry out this subsection in any fiscal year shall 
    not exceed 7.5 per centum of the amount authorized to be 
    appropriated in such fiscal year pursuant to section 17.''.
    (c) Triennial Reports.--Such section 7 (15 U.S.C. 2206) is further 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(n) 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 National Fire 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.''.
    (d) Report on Feasibility of Providing Incident Command Training 
for Fires at Ports and in Marine Environments.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States Fire 
    Administration shall submit to Congress a report on the feasibility 
    of providing training in incident command for appropriate fire 
    service personnel for fires at United States ports and in marine 
    environments, including fires on the water and aboard vessels.
        (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
    include the following:
            (A) A description of the necessary curriculum for training 
        described in paragraph (1).
            (B) A description of existing training programs related to 
        incident command in port and maritime environments, including 
        by other Federal agencies, and the feasibility and estimated 
        cost of making such training available to appropriate fire 
        service personnel.
            (C) An assessment of the feasibility and advisability of 
        the United States Fire Administration developing such a 
        training course in incident command for appropriate fire 
        service personnel for fires at United States ports and in 
        marine environments, including fires on the water and aboard 
        vessels.
            (D) A description of the delivery options for such a course 
        and the estimated cost to the United States Fire Administration 
        for developing such a course and providing such training for 
        appropriate fire service personnel.
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:
    ``(d) National Fire Incident Reporting System Update.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall update the National 
    Fire Incident Reporting System to ensure that the information in 
    the system is available, and can be updated, through the Internet 
    and in real time.
        ``(2) Limitation.--Of the amounts made available pursuant to 
    subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of section 17(g)(1), the 
    Administrator shall use not 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 the activities required by 
    paragraph (1).''.
    (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 RESEARCH 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 to read as 
follows:
    ``(d) Rural and Wildland-Urban Interface Assistance.--The 
Administrator may, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, 
the Secretary of the Interior, and the Wildland Fire Leadership 
Council, assist the fire services of the United States, directly or 
through contracts, grants, or other forms of assistance, in sponsoring 
and encouraging research into approaches, techniques, systems, 
equipment, and land-use policies to improve fire prevention and control 
in--
        ``(1) the rural and remote areas of the United States; and
        ``(2) the wildland-urban interface.''.
    (b) Technology Research Dissemination.--Section 8 of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 2207) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h) Publication of Research Results.--
        ``(1) In general.--For each fire-related research program 
    funded by the Administration, the Administrator shall make 
    available to the public on the Internet website of the 
    Administration the following:
            ``(A) A description of such research program, including the 
        scope, methodology, and goals thereof.
            ``(B) Information that identifies the individuals or 
        institutions conducting the research program.
            ``(C) The amount of funding provided by the Administration 
        for such program.
            ``(D) The results or findings of the research program.
        ``(2) Deadlines.--
            ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
        the information required by paragraph (1) shall be published 
        with respect to a research program as follows:
                ``(i) The information described in subparagraphs (A), 
            (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) with respect to such research 
            program shall be made available under paragraph (1) not 
            later than 30 days after the Administrator has awarded the 
            funding for such research program.
                ``(ii) The information described in subparagraph (D) of 
            paragraph (1) with respect to a research program shall be 
            made available under paragraph (1) not later than 60 days 
            after the date such research program has been completed.
            ``(B) Exception.--No information shall be required to be 
        published under this subsection before the date that is 1 year 
        after the date of the enactment of the United States Fire 
        Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008.''.
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:
  ``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--
        ``(1) educating fire services about such standards;
        ``(2) encouraging the adoption at all levels of government of 
    such standards; and
        ``(3) making recommendations on other ways in which the Federal 
    Government can promote the adoption of such standards by fire 
    services.''.
SEC. 8. STATE AND LOCAL FIRE SERVICE REPRESENTATION AT NATIONAL 
OPERATIONS CENTER.
    Section 515 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321d) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) State and Local Fire Service Representation.--
        ``(1) Establishment of position.--The Secretary shall, in 
    consultation with the Administrator of the United States Fire 
    Administration, establish a fire service position at the National 
    Operations Center established under subsection (b) to ensure the 
    effective sharing of information between the Federal Government and 
    State and local fire services.
        ``(2) Designation of position.--The Secretary shall designate, 
    on a rotating basis, a State or local fire service official for the 
    position described in paragraph (1).
        ``(3) Management.--The Secretary shall manage the position 
    established pursuant to paragraph (1) in accordance with such 
    rules, regulations, and practices as govern other similar rotating 
    positions at the National Operations Center.''.
SEC. 9. COORDINATION REGARDING FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND 
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 use 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 activities of 
    the Administrator with Federal, State, and local government 
    agencies and departments and nongovernmental organizations 
    concerned with any matter related to programs of fire prevention 
    and control.
        ``(3) Coordination of emergency medical services programs.--The 
    Administrator shall provide liaison at an appropriate 
    organizational level to assure coordination of the activities of 
    the Administrator related to emergency medical services provided by 
    fire service-based systems with Federal, State, and local 
    government agencies and departments and nongovernmental 
    organizations so concerned, as well as those entities concerned 
    with emergency medical services generally.''.
    (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. 10. AMENDMENTS TO 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, within the Federal Emergency Management 
    Agency'';
        (2) in paragraph (7), by striking the ``and'' after the 
    semicolon;
        (3) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and 
    inserting ``; and''; and
        (4) by adding at the end the following:
        ``(9) `wildland-urban interface' has the meaning given such 
    term in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 
    (16 U.S.C. 6511).''.
  SEC. 11. 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 important 
of installing fire sprinklers in residential buildings.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.