FRIENDS Act

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a study on the circumstances which may impact the effectiveness and availability of first responders before, during, or after a terrorist threat or event, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the First Responder Identification of Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations FRIENDS Act 2. Circumstances which may impact first responders during a terrorist event (a) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that describes select State and local programs and policies, as appropriate, related to the preparedness and protection of first responders. The report may include information on— (1) the degree to which such programs and policies include consideration of the presence of a first responder’s family in an area impacted by a terrorist attack; (2) the availability of personal protective equipment for first responders; (3) the availability of home Medkits for first responders and their families for biological incident response; and (4) other related factors. (b) Context In preparing the report required under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States may, as appropriate, provide information— (1) in a format that delineates high risk urban areas from rural communities; and (2) on the degree to which the selected State and local programs and policies included in such report were developed or are being executed with funding from the Department of Homeland Security, including grant funding from the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative under sections 2002 and 2003, respectively, of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 603 (c) Homeland security consideration After issuance of the report required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider such report’s findings and assess its applicability for Federal first responders.

Summary: First Responder Identification of Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations or the FRIENDS Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report that describes select state and local programs and policies related to the preparedness and protection of first responders, which may include information on: the degree to which such programs and policies include consideration of the presence of a first responder's family in an area impacted by a terrorist attack, the availability of personal protective equipment for first responders, and the availability of home Medkits for first responders and their families for biological incident response. The GAO may provide information: (1) in a format that delineates high risk urban areas from rural communities; and (2) on the degree to which the selected state and local programs and policies were developed or are being executed with funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including grants from the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative. DHS shall consider the report's findings and assess its applicability for federal first responders.