SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Fire 
Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The loss of life due to fire has dropped sig-
nificantly over the last 25 years in the United 
States. However, the United States still has one of 
the highest fire death rates in the industrialized 
world. For 2006, the National Fire Protection Asso-
ciation reported 3,245 civilian fire deaths, 17,925 ci-
vilian fire injuries, and $11,307,000,000 in direct 
losses due to fire. 
(2) Every year, over 100 firefighters die in the 
line of duty. The United States Fire Administration 
should continue its leadership to help local fire agen-
cies dramatically reduce these fatalities. 
(3) Members of the fire service community 
should continue to work together to further the pro-
motion of national voluntary consensus standards 
that increase firefighter safety. 
(4) The United States Fire Administration pro-
vides crucial support to the Nation’s 30,300 fire de-
partments through training, data collection, fire 
awareness and education, and other activities for im-
proving fire prevention, control, and suppression 
technologies. 
(5) The collection of data on fire and other 
emergency incidents is a vital tool both for policy 
makers and emergency responders to identify and 
develop responses to emerging hazards. Improving 
the United States Fire Administration’s data collec-
tion capabilities is essential for accurately tracking 
and responding to the magnitude and nature of the 
Nation’s fire problem. 
(6) The research and development performed by 
the Federal Government and non-government orga-
nizations on fire technologies, techniques, and tools 
advance the capabilities of the Nation’s fire service 
to prevent and suppress fires. 
(7) The United States Fire Administration is 
one of the strongest voices representing the Nation’s 
fire service within the Federal Government, and, as 
such, it should have a prominent place within the 
Federal Government. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR UNITED 
STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION. 
Section 17(g)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and 
Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2216(g)(1)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding after subparagraph (D) the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(E) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
‘‘(F) $72,100,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(G) $74,263,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
‘‘(H) $76,490,890 for fiscal year 2012.’’. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY TRAINING PROGRAM 
MODIFICATIONS AND REPORTS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS TO FIRE ACADEMY TRAINING.— 
Section 7(d)(1) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Con-
trol Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2206(d)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by amending subparagraph (H) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(H) response, tactics, and strategies for 
dealing with national catastrophes, including 
terrorist-caused national catastrophes and inci-
dents that involve weapons of mass destruc-
tion;’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (K), by striking ‘‘forest’’ 
and inserting ‘‘wildland’’;
(3) in subparagraph (M), by striking ‘‘response 
tactics and’’ and inserting ‘‘response, tactics, and’’; 
(4) by redesignating subparagraphs (I) through 
(N) as subparagraphs (M) through (R), respectively; 
and 
(5) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(I) response, tactics, and strategies for 
fighting large-scale fires or multiple fires in a 
general area that cross jurisdictional bound-
aries; 
‘‘(J) response, tactics, and strategies for 
fighting fires occurring at the wildland-urban 
interface; 
‘‘(K) response, tactics, and strategies for 
fighting fires involving hazardous materials; 
‘‘(L) advanced emergency medical services 
training;’’. 
(b) TRIENNIAL REPORTS.—Section 7 of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 2206) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(m) TRIENNIAL REPORT.—In the first annual re-
port filed pursuant to section 16 for which the deadline 
for filing is after the expiration of the 18-month period 
that begins on the date of the enactment of the United
States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008, 
and in every third annual report thereafter, the Adminis-
trator shall include information about changes made to the 
Academy curriculum, including— 
‘‘(1) the basis for such changes, including a re-
view of the incorporation of lessons learned by emer-
gency response personnel after significant emergency 
events and emergency preparedness exercises per-
formed under the National Exercise Program; and 
‘‘(2) the desired training outcome of all such 
changes.’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER 
INTO
CONTRACTS
TO
PROVIDE
ON-SITE
TRAINING 
THROUGH CERTAIN ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS.—Sec-
tion 7(f) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2206(f)) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(f) ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator is au-
thorized to provide assistance to State and local fire 
service training programs through grants, contracts, 
or otherwise. 
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION
TO
ENTER
INTO
CON-
TRACTS TO PROVIDE ON-SITE TRAINING THROUGH 
CERTAIN ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator is 
authorized to enter into a contract with one or 
more nationally recognized organizations that 
have established on-site training programs that 
prepare fire service personnel to meet national 
voluntary consensus standards for fire service 
personnel and that facilitate the delivery of the 
education and training programs outlined in 
subsection (d)(1) directly to fire service per-
sonnel. 
‘‘(B) RESTRICTIONS.—The Administrator 
shall not enter into a contract with such organi-
zation unless such organization— 
‘‘(i) provides training that leads to 
certification by a program accredited by a 
nationally recognized accreditation organi-
zation; or 
‘‘(ii) at the time the Administrator en-
ters into the contract, provides training 
under such a program under a cooperative 
agreement with a Federal agency. 
‘‘(3) RESTRICTION
ON
USE
OF
FUNDS.—The 
amounts expended by the Administrator to carry out 
this subsection in any fiscal year shall not exceed 4 
percent of the amount authorized to be appropriated
in such fiscal year pursuant to section 17 of this 
Act.’’. 
(d) INCIDENT COMMAND TRAINING COURSE
FOR 
FIRES AT PORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator of the United States Fire Administration, in con-
sultation with the Superintendent of the National Acad-
emy for Fire Prevention and Control, shall consolidate and 
integrate into the current Academy curriculum a course 
on incident command training for fire service personnel 
for fighting fires at United States ports and in marine 
environments, including fires on the water and aboard ves-
sels. Such course shall not relate to border and port secu-
rity. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL FIRE INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM UP-
GRADES. 
(a) INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM DATABASE.—Sec-
tion 9 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 
1974 (15 U.S.C. 2208) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) NATIONAL FIRE INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM 
UPDATE.—Of the amounts made available pursuant to 
subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of section 17(g)(1), the 
Administrator shall use no more than an aggregate 
amount of $5,000,000 during the 3-year period consisting
of fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011 to carry out activities 
necessary to update the National Fire Incident Reporting 
system to an Internet-based, real-time incident reporting 
database, including capital investment, contractor engage-
ment, and user education.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 9(b)(2) of 
such Act (15 U.S.C. 2208(b)(2)) is amended by striking 
‘‘assist State,’’ and inserting ‘‘assist Federal, State,’’. 
SEC. 6. FIRE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE AND DISSEMINA-
TION. 
(a) ASSISTANCE TO FIRE SERVICES FOR FIRE PRE-
VENTION AND CONTROL IN WILDLAND-URBAN INTER-
FACE.—Section 8(d) of the Federal Fire Prevention and 
Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2207(d)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘RURAL ASSISTANCE’’ in the 
heading and inserting ‘‘RURAL
AND WILDLAND- 
URBAN INTERFACE ASSISTANCE’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘The Administrator’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(1) The Administrator’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The Administrator is authorized to assist the 
Nation’s fire services, directly or through contracts, 
grants, or other forms of assistance, for activities and
equipment to improve fire prevention and control in the 
wildland-urban interface.’’. 
(b) DISSEMINATION.—Section 8 of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 2207) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(h) DISSEMINATION.—Beginning 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of the United States Fire Adminis-
tration Reauthorization Act of 2008, the Administrator, 
in collaboration with the relevant departments and agen-
cies of the Federal Government, shall make available to 
the public information regarding United States Fire Ad-
ministration funded activities to advance new knowledge 
and best practices in firefighting, through a regularly up-
dated Internet database.’’. 
SEC. 7. ENCOURAGING ADOPTION OF STANDARDS FOR 
FIREFIGHTER HEALTH AND SAFETY. 
The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 
(15 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new sections: 
‘‘SEC. 37. ENCOURAGING ADOPTION OF STANDARDS FOR 
FIREFIGHTER HEALTH AND SAFETY. 
‘‘The Administrator shall promote adoption by fire 
services of national voluntary consensus standards for fire-
fighter health and safety, including such standards for 
firefighter operations, training, staffing, and fitness, by
educating fire services about such standards, encouraging 
the adoption at all levels of government of such standards, 
and making recommendations on other ways in which the 
Federal Government can promote the adoption of such 
standards by fire services. 
‘‘SEC. 38. TRAINING AGENCIES ON IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR-
ING BIOMASS IN WILDLAND AREAS TO PRO-
MOTE FIREFIGHTER SAFETY. 
‘‘In collaboration with the relevant departments and 
agencies of the Federal Government, the Administrator 
shall develop and provide information and training to rel-
evant departments and agencies of the Federal Govern-
ment on the importance of clearing biomass in wildland 
areas of Federal lands to promote the safety of fire-
fighters.’’. 
SEC. 8. COORDINATION REGARDING FIRE SERVICE-BASED 
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 21(e) of the Federal Fire 
Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2218(e)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(e) COORDINATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent practicable, 
the Administrator shall utilize existing programs, 
data, information, and facilities already available in 
other Federal Government departments and agencies
and, where appropriate, existing research organiza-
tions, centers, and universities. 
‘‘(2) COORDINATION OF FIRE PREVENTION AND 
CONTROL PROGRAMS.—The Administrator shall pro-
vide liaison at an appropriate organizational level to 
assure coordination of the Administrator’s activities 
with State and local government agencies, depart-
ments, bureaus, or offices concerned with any matter 
related to programs of fire prevention and control 
with private and other Federal organizations and of-
fices so concerned. 
‘‘(3) COORDINATION OF FIRE SERVICE-BASED 
EMERGENCY
MEDICAL
SERVICES
PROGRAMS.—The 
Administrator shall provide liaison at an appropriate 
organizational level to assure coordination of the Ad-
ministrator’s activities with State and local govern-
ment agencies, departments, bureaus, or offices con-
cerned with programs related to emergency medical 
services provided by fire service-based systems with 
private and other Federal organizations and offices 
so concerned.’’. 
(b) FIRE SERVICE-BASED EMERGENCY MEDICAL 
SERVICES BEST PRACTICES.—Section 8(c) of such Act 
(15 U.S.C. 2207(c)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through 
(4) as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The Administrator is authorized to conduct, di-
rectly or through contracts or grants, studies of the oper-
ations and management aspects of fire service-based emer-
gency medical services and coordination between emer-
gency medical services and fire services. Such studies may 
include the optimum protocols for on-scene care, the allo-
cation of resources, and the training requirements for fire 
service-based emergency medical services.’’. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 4 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control 
Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2203) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Administra-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘Administration, who is the As-
sistant Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency’’; 
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(3) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(4) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), and 
(8) as paragraphs (7), (8), and (9), respectively;
(5) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) ‘hazardous materials’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 5102(2) of title 49, 
United States Code;’’; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(10) ‘wildland-urban interface’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 101(16) of the 
Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 
6511(16)).’’. 
SEC. 10. SUPPORTING THE ADOPTION OF FIRE SPRIN-
KLERS. 
Congress supports the recommendations of the 
United States Fire Administration regarding the adoption 
of fire sprinklers in commercial buildings and educational 
programs to raise awareness of the importance of install-
ing fire sprinklers in residential buildings. 
Passed the House of Representatives April 3, 2008. 
Attest: 
Clerk.