I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5686 
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a survey to deter-
mine the level of compliance with national consensus standards and 
any barriers to achieving compliance with such standards, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 2, 2008 
Mr. PERLMUTTER (for himself, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Ms. 
CLARKE, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. ETHERIDGE, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. GENE 
GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mrs. LOWEY, Mrs. MALONEY of New 
York, Mr. MCCAUL of Texas, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. NADLER, Mr. ROSS, 
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. SIRES, and Mr. TERRY) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Tech-
nology 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct 
a survey to determine the level of compliance with na-
tional 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 2008’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(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 consensus standards for safe fire 
department operations and fire fighting capabilities. 
(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 consensus 
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standards as a contributing factor in many fire-
fighter deaths. 
(7) A comprehensive accounting of fire depart-
ment compliance with national consensus standards 
would help policy makers seeking to enhance 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 shall begin to conduct a survey of each career, 
volunteer, or combination fire department located in the 
United States in order to ascertain whether each such fire 
department is in compliance with national consensus 
standards. 
(b) CONTENTS OF SURVEY.—The survey required 
under subsection (a) shall ascertain, for each fire depart-
ment in the United States, compliance with national con-
sensus standards for staffing, training, safe operations, 
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). Such report shall include an ac-
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