Document ID: FEMA-2019-0026-0001
Agency: fema
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) v5.0
Posted Date: 2019-11-27T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65401-65402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25735]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2019-0026; OMB No. 1660-0069]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) v5.0

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a 
reinstatement, with change, of a previously approved information 
collection for which approval has expired. In accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning 
National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) v5.0. The program 
provides a well-established mechanism, using standardized reporting 
methods, to collect and analyze fire incident data at the Federal, 
State, and local levels with

[[Page 65402]]

a myriad of life and property saving uses and benefits.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please use 
only one of the following means to submit comments:
    (1) Online. Submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID 
FEMA-2019-0026. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    (2) Mail. Submit written comments to Docket Manager, Office of 
Chief Counsel, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street SW, 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-
3100.
    All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket 
ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, 
all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will include any 
personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this 
information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act 
notice that is available via the link in the footer of 
www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Troup, Chief, United States 
Fire Administration-National Fire Data Center, (301) 447-1231. You may 
contact the Information Management Division for copies of the proposed 
collection of information at email address: FEMA-Information-Collections-Management@fema.dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Commission on Fire Prevention 
and Control conducted a comprehensive study of the Nation's fire 
problem and recommended to Congress actions to mitigate the fire 
problem, reduce loss of life and property, and educate the public on 
fire protection and prevention. As a result of the study, Congress 
enacted Public Law 93-498, Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 
1974, which establishes the U.S. Fire Administration to administer fire 
prevention and control programs, supplement existing programs of 
research, training, and education, and encourage new and improved 
programs and activities by State and local governments. Section 9(a) of 
the Act authorizes the Administrator, U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), 
to operate directly or through contracts or grants, an integrated, 
comprehensive method to select, analyze, publish, and disseminate 
information related to prevention, occurrence, control, and results of 
fires of all types.
    NFIRS was established in the mid-1970s and is mandated by the 
Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. (PL) 93-498, 
as amended) which authorizes the National Fire Data Center to gather 
and analyze information such as (1) the frequency, causes, spread, and 
extinguishment of fires; (2) injuries and deaths resulting from fires; 
(3) information on injuries sustained by a firefighter; and (4) 
information on firefighting activities. The act further authorizes USFA 
to develop uniform data reporting methods, and to encourage and assist 
Federal, State, local and other agencies in developing and reporting 
information. NFIRS is a reporting standard that fire departments use to 
uniformly report on the full range of their activities, from fire to 
emergency medical services to severe weather and natural disasters. 
This reporting allows fire departments, as well as many other 
government and non-government agencies, to quantify their actions and 
identify incident and response trends.
    This information collection expired on 04/30/2019. FEMA is 
requesting a reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved 
information collection for which approval has expired.

Collection of Information

    Title: National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) v5.0.
    Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement, with change, of a 
previously approved information collection for which approval has 
expired.
    OMB Number: OMB No. 1660-0069.
    Form Titles and Numbers: The National Fire Incident Reporting 
System (NFIRS) v5.0 Modules 1-11.
    Abstract: NFIRS provides a mechanism using standardized reporting 
methods to collect and analyze fire incident data at the Federal, 
State, and local levels. Data analysis helps local fire departments and 
States to focus on current problems, predict future problems in their 
communities, and measure whether their programs are working.
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal, and Federal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 23,500.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 28,059,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 12,626,550.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $471,980,439.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $1,974,000.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $1,128,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $3,356,189.

Comments

    Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption 
above. 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.

Maile Arthur,
Acting Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief 
Administrative Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2019-25735 Filed 11-26-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-76-P