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Union Calendar No. 342 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4847 

[Report No. 110–559] 

To reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 19, 2007 

Mr. MITCHELL (for himself and Mr. GINGREY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology 

MARCH 31, 2008 

Additional sponsors: Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. 

WU, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MILLER of North Carolina, 

Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. GORDON of Tennessee, Ms. EDDIE

BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. COSTELLO, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. HALL

of New York, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. ETHERIDGE, Mr. CHANDLER, Mr. WILSON of Ohio, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. 

MATHESON, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. GERLACH, Ms. SUTTON, 

Mr. GALLEGLY, and Mr. MICHAUD

MARCH 31, 2008 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on December 19, 2007] 

A BILL 

To reauthorize the United States Fire Administration, and 

for other purposes. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Fire Ad5 ministration Reauthorization Act of 2008’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The loss of life due to fire has dropped sig9 nificantly over the last 25 years in the United States. 

10 However, the United States still has one of the highest 

11 fire death rates in the industrialized world. In 2005 

12 the National Fire Protection Association reported 

13 3,675 civilian fire deaths, 17,925 civilian fire inju14 ries, and $10,672,000,000 in direct losses due to fire. 

15 (2) Every year, over 100 firefighters die in the 

16 line of duty. The United States Fire Administration 

17 should continue its leadership to help local fire agen18 cies dramatically reduce these fatalities. 

19 (3) Members of the fire service community should 

20 continue to work together to further the promotion of 

21 national voluntary consensus standards that increase 

22 firefighter safety. 

23 (4) The United States Fire Administration pro24 vides crucial support to the Nation’s 30,300 fire de25 partments through training, emergency incident data 


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1 collection, fire awareness and education, and support 

2 of research and development activities for fire preven3 tion, control, and suppression technologies. 

4 (5) The collection of data on fire and other emer5 gency incidents is a vital tool both for policy makers 

6 and emergency responders to identify and develop re7 sponses to emerging hazards. Improving the United 

8 States Fire Administration’s data collection capabili9 ties is essential for accurately tracking and respond10 ing to the magnitude and nature of the Nation’s fire 

11 problem. 

12 (6) The research and development performed by 

13 the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 

14 the United States Fire Administration, other govern15 ment agencies, and non-governmental organizations 

16 on fire technologies, techniques, and tools advance the 

17 capabilities of the Nation’s fire service to suppress 

18 and prevent fires. 

19 (7) The United States Fire Administration is 

20 one of the strongest voices representing the Nation’s 

21 fire service within the Federal Government, and, as 

22 such, it should have a prominent place within the De23 partment of Homeland Security. 


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1 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR UNITED 

2 STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION. 

3 Section 17(g)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and 

4 Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216(g)(1)) is amended— 

5 (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 

6 the semicolon; 

7 (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period 

8 at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 

9 (3) by adding after subparagraph (D) the fol10 lowing new subparagraphs: 

11 ‘‘(E) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of 

12 which $2,520,000 shall be used to carry out sec13 tion 8; 

14 ‘‘(F) $72,100,000 for fiscal year 2010, of 

15 which $2,595,600 shall be used to carry out sec16 tion 8; 

17 ‘‘(G) $74,263,000 for fiscal year 2011, of 

18 which $2,673,468 shall be used to carry out sec19 tion 8; and 

20 ‘‘(H) $76,490,890 for fiscal year 2012, of 

21 which $2,753,672 shall be used to carry out sec22 tion 8.’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY TRAINING PROGRAM 

2 MODIFICATIONS AND REPORTS. 

3 (a) AMENDMENTS TO FIRE ACADEMY TRAINING.—Sec4 tion 7(d)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act 

5 of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206(d)(1)) is amended— 

6 (1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ‘‘terrorist7 caused national catastrophes’’ and inserting ‘‘ter8 rorist-caused and other national catastrophes’’; 

9 (2) in subparagraph (K), by striking ‘‘forest’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘wildland’’; 

11 (3) in subparagraph (M), by striking ‘‘response 

12 tactics and’’ and inserting ‘‘response, tactics, and’’; 

13 (4) by redesignating subparagraphs (I) through 

14 (N) as subparagraphs (M) through (R), respectively; 

15 and 

16 (5) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the fol17 lowing new subparagraphs: 

18 ‘‘(I) response, tactics, and strategies for 

19 fighting large-scale fires or multiple fires in a 

20 general area that cross jurisdictional boundaries; 

21 ‘‘(J) response, tactics, and strategies for 

22 fighting fires occurring at the wildland-urban 

23 interface; 

24 ‘‘(K) response, tactics, and strategies for 

25 fighting fires involving hazardous materials; 


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1 ‘‘(L) advanced emergency medical services 

2 training;’’. 

3 (b) TRIENNIAL REPORTS.—Section 7 of such Act (15 

4 U.S.C. 2206) is amended by adding at the end the following 

5 new subsection: 

6 ‘‘(m) TRIENNIAL REPORT.—In the first annual report 

7 filed pursuant to section 16 for which the deadline for filing 

8 is after the expiration of the 18-month period that begins 

9 on the date of the enactment of the United States Fire Ad10 ministration Reauthorization Act of 2008, and in every 

11 third annual report thereafter, the Administrator shall in12 clude information about changes made to the Academy cur13 riculum, including— 

14 ‘‘(1) the basis for such changes, including a re15 view of the incorporation of lessons learned by emer16 gency response personnel after significant emergency 

17 events and emergency preparedness exercises per18 formed under the National Exercise Program; and 

19 ‘‘(2) the desired training outcome of all such 

20 changes.’’. 

21 (c) AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER

22 INTO CONTRACTS TO PROVIDE ON-SITE TRAINING

23 THROUGH CERTAIN ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS.—Sec24 tion 7(f) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2206(f)) is amended to read 

25 as follows: 


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1 ‘‘(f) ASSISTANCE.— 

2 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator is au3 thorized to provide assistance to State and local fire 

4 service training programs through grants, contracts, 

5 or otherwise. 

6 ‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO CON7 TRACTS TO PROVIDE ON-SITE TRAINING THROUGH

8 CERTAIN ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS.— 

9 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator is 

10 authorized to enter into a contract with one or 

11 more nationally recognized organizations that 

12 have established on-site training programs that 

13 comply with national voluntary consensus stand14 ards for fire service personnel to facilitate the de15 livery of the education and training programs 

16 outlined in subsection (d)(1) directly to fire serv17 ice personnel. 

18 ‘‘(B) RESTRICTIONS.—The Administrator 

19 shall not enter into a contract with such organi20 zation unless such organization— 

21 ‘‘(i) operates a fire service training 

22 program accredited by a nationally recog23 nized accreditation organization experi24 enced with accrediting such training; or 


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1 ‘‘(ii) at the time the Administrator en2 ters into the contract, provides training 

3 under such a program under a cooperative 

4 agreement with a Federal agency. 

5 ‘‘(3) RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.—The 

6 amounts expended by the Administrator to carry out 

7 this subsection in any fiscal year shall not exceed 4 

8 per centum of the amount authorized to be appro9 priated in such fiscal year pursuant to section 17 of 

10 this Act.’’. 

11 (d) INCIDENT COMMAND TRAINING COURSE FOR FIRES

12 AT PORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 years after the 

13 date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 

14 United States Fire Administration, in consultation with 

15 the Superintendent of the National Academy for Fire Pre16 vention and Control, shall consolidate and integrate into 

17 the current Academy curriculum a course on incident com18 mand training for fire service personnel for fighting fires 

19 at United States ports and in marine environments, includ20 ing fires on the water and aboard vessels. 

21 SEC. 5. NATIONAL FIRE INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM UP22 GRADES. 

23 (a) INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM DATABASE.—Sec24 tion 9 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 


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1 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2208) is amended by adding at the end 

2 the following new subsection: 

3 ‘‘(d) NATIONAL FIRE INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM

4 UPDATE.—Of the amounts made available pursuant to sub5 paragraphs (E), (F), and (G) of section 17(g)(1), the Ad6 ministrator shall use no more than an aggregate amount 

7 of $5,000,000 during the 3-year period consisting of fiscal 

8 years 2009, 2010, and 2011 to carry out activities necessary 

9 to update the National Fire Incident Reporting system to 

10 an Internet-based, real-time incident reporting database, 

11 including capital investment, contractor engagement, and 

12 user education.’’. 

13 (b) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 9(b)(2) of such 

14 Act (15 U.S.C. 2208(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘assist 

15 State,’’ and inserting ‘‘assist Federal, State,’’. 

16 SEC. 6. FIRE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE AND RESEARCH 

17 DISSEMINATION. 

18 (a) ASSISTANCE TO FIRE SERVICES FOR FIRE PRE19 VENTION AND CONTROL IN WILDLAND-URBAN INTER20 FACE.—Section 8(d) of the Federal Fire Prevention and 

21 Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2207(d)) is amended— 

22 (1) by striking ‘‘RURAL ASSISTANCE’’ in the 

23 heading and inserting ‘‘RURAL AND WILDLAND24 URBAN INTERFACE ASSISTANCE’’; 


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1 (2) by striking ‘‘The Administrator’’ and insert2 ing ‘‘(1) The Administrator’’; and 

3 (3) by adding at the end the following new para4 graph: 

5 ‘‘(2) The Administrator is authorized to assist the Na6 tion’s fire services, directly or through contracts, grants, or 

7 other forms of assistance, to sponsor and encourage research 

8 into approaches, techniques, systems, and equipment to im9 prove fire prevention and control in the wildland-urban 

10 interface.’’. 

11 (b) TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH DISSEMINATION.—Sec12 tion 8 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2207) is amended by adding 

13 at the end the following new subsection: 

14 ‘‘(h) RESEARCH DISSEMINATION.—Beginning 1 year 

15 after the date of the enactment of the United States Fire 

16 Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008, the Adminis17 trator, in collaboration with the relevant departments and 

18 agencies of the Federal Government, shall make available 

19 to the public information about all ongoing and planned 

20 fire-related research funded by the Administration during 

21 fiscal year 2007 and each fiscal year thereafter, as well as 

22 the results generated from such research, through a regu23 larly updated Internet-based database.’’. 


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1 SEC. 7. ENCOURAGING ADOPTION OF STANDARDS FOR 

2 FIREFIGHTER HEALTH AND SAFETY. 

3 The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 

4 (15 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

5 the following new section: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 37. ENCOURAGING ADOPTION OF STANDARDS FOR 

7 FIREFIGHTER HEALTH AND SAFETY. 

8 ‘‘The Administrator shall promote adoption by fire 

9 services of national voluntary consensus standards for fire10 fighter health and safety, including such standards for fire11 fighter operations, training, staffing, and fitness, by edu12 cating fire services about such standards, encouraging the 

13 adoption at all levels of government of such standards, and 

14 making recommendations on other ways in which the Fed15 eral government can promote the adoption of such stand16 ards by fire services.’’. 

17 SEC. 8. COORDINATION REGARDING FIRE SERVICE-BASED 

18 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 21(e) of the Federal Fire 

20 Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2218(e)) 

21 is amended to read as follows: 

22 ‘‘(e) COORDINATION.— 

23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent practicable, the 

24 Administrator shall utilize existing programs, data, 

25 information, and facilities already available in other 

26 Federal Government departments and agencies and, 


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1 where appropriate, existing research organizations, 

2 centers, and universities. 

3 ‘‘(2) COORDINATION OF FIRE PREVENTION AND

4 CONTROL PROGRAMS.—The Administrator shall pro5 vide liaison at an appropriate organizational level to 

6 assure coordination of the Administrator’s activities 

7 with State and local government agencies, depart8 ments, bureaus, or offices concerned with any matter 

9 related to programs of fire prevention and control 

10 with private and other Federal organizations and of11 fices so concerned. 

12 ‘‘(3) COORDINATION OF FIRE SERVICE-BASED

13 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROGRAMS.—The Ad14 ministrator shall provide liaison at an appropriate 

15 organizational level to assure coordination of the Ad16 ministrator’s activities with State and local govern17 ment agencies, departments, bureaus, or offices con18 cerned with programs related to emergency medical 

19 services provided by fire service-based systems with 

20 private and other Federal organizations and offices so 

21 concerned.’’. 

22 (b) FIRE SERVICE-BASED EMERGENCY MEDICAL

23 SERVICES BEST PRACTICES.—Section 8(c) of such Act (15 

24 U.S.C. 2207(c)) is amended— 


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1 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) 

2 as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and 

3 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol4 lowing new paragraph: 

5 ‘‘(2) The Administrator is authorized to conduct, di6 rectly or through contracts or grants, studies of the oper7 ations and management aspects of fire service-based emer8 gency medical services and coordination between emergency 

9 medical services and fire services. Such studies may include 

10 the optimum protocols for on-scene care, the allocation of 

11 resources, and the training requirements for fire service12 based emergency medical services.’’. 

13 SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 

14 Section 4 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 

15 Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2203) is amended— 

16 (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Administra17 tion’’ and inserting ‘‘Administration, who is the As18 sistant Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man19 agement Agency’’; 

20 (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the 

21 semicolon; 

22 (3) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at 

23 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 

24 (4) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), and (8) 

25 as paragraphs (7), (8), and (9), respectively; 


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1 (5) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol2 lowing new paragraph: 

3 ‘‘(6) ‘hazardous materials’ has the meaning 

4 given such term in section 5102(2) of title 49, United 

5 States Code;’’; and 

6 (6) by adding at the end the following new para7 graph: 

8 ‘‘(10) ‘wildland-urban interface’ has the meaning 

9 given such term in section 101(16) of the Healthy 

10 Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 

11 6511(16)).’’. 


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Union Calendar No. 342 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4847 

[Report No. 110

–559] 

A BILL 

Administration, and for other purposes. 

To reauthorize the United States Fire 

MARCH 31, 2008 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS