I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1499 
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a survey to deter-
mine the level of compliance with national voluntary consensus standards 
and any barriers to achieving compliance with such standards, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2009 
Mr. PERLMUTTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science and Technology 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct 
a survey to determine the level of compliance with na-
tional voluntary consensus standards and any barriers 
to achieving compliance with such standards, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Firefighter Fatality 
Reduction Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
05:06 Mar 14, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1499.IH
H1499
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
(1) Each year in the United States, over 100 
firefighters die in the line of duty, while an addi-
tional tens of thousands of firefighters are injured. 
(2) The Federal Government has a vested inter-
est in protecting firefighter health and safety, as it 
relies on local fire departments to efficiently and ef-
fectively implement the National Response Frame-
work in the response to major disasters. 
(3) Adequate training, proper personal protec-
tive equipment, safe staffing levels, safe operating 
procedures, and physical and mental fitness of fire-
fighters can reduce avoidable firefighter fatalities. 
(4) The fire services, in conjunction with Gov-
ernment agencies and interested private-sector par-
ties, has partnered with standards-making bodies to 
develop national voluntary consensus standards for 
safe fire department operations and fire fighting ca-
pabilities. 
(5) Such standards are widely respected and 
promoted by all facets of the fire service to better 
ensure firefighter health and safety. 
(6) Through its Firefighter Fatality Investiga-
tion and Prevention Program, the National Institute 
for Occupational Safety and Health has identified 
the failure to follow specific national voluntary con-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
05:06 Mar 14, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1499.IH
H1499
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
sensus standards as a contributing factor in many 
firefighter deaths. 
(7) A comprehensive accounting of fire depart-
ment compliance with national voluntary consensus 
standards would help policy makers seeking to en-
hance public safety and reduce avoidable firefighter 
fatalities. 
SEC. 3. SURVEY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SE-
CURITY. 
(a) SURVEY REQUIRED.—Not later than 120 days 
after enactment of this bill, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, in consultation with the Task Force established 
under section 4, shall begin to conduct a survey of each 
career, volunteer, and combination fire department located 
in the United States in order to ascertain whether each 
such fire department is in compliance with national vol-
untary consensus standards. In carrying out the survey, 
the Secretary shall ascertain the rates of such compliance 
of— 
(1) paid, volunteer, and combination fire de-
partments; 
(2) fire departments located in communities of 
varying sizes; and 
(3) fire departments in each of the States and 
territories. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
05:06 Mar 14, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1499.IH
H1499
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
(b) CONTENTS OF SURVEY.—The survey required 
under subsection (a) shall ascertain, for each fire depart-
ment in the United States, compliance with national vol-
untary consensus standards for staffing, training, safe op-
erations, personal protective equipment, and fitness. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report on the findings of the survey required 
under subsection (a), including the rates of compliance 
under the categories specified under paragraphs (1), (2), 
and (3) of that subsection. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE TO ENHANCE 
FIREFIGHTER SAFETY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
establish a task force to be known as the ‘‘Task Force 
to Enhance Firefighter Safety’’ (hereinafter in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘Task Force’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Task Force 
shall be appointed by the Secretary from among the 
general public and shall include— 
(A) representatives of national organiza-
tions representing firefighters and fire chiefs; 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
05:06 Mar 14, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1499.IH
H1499
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS