

[Federal Register: November 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 225)]
[Notices]               
[Page 70867-70868]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23no05-117]                         


[[Page 70867]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of 
Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity 
to comment on a proposed continuing information collection. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), this notice seeks comments concerning the use of a 
census form to collect data for the development of a national fire 
department database.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) receives 
many requests from fire service organizations and the general public 
for information related to fire departments, including total number of 
departments, number of stations per department, population protected, 
and number of firefighters. The USFA also has a need for this 
information to guide programmatic decisions, and produce mailing lists 
for USFA publications. Recommendations for the creation of the fire 
department database came out of a Blue Ribbon Panel's review of the 
USFA--initiated by former FEMA Director James Lee Witt in the spring of 
1998. The report included a review of the structure, mission and 
funding of the USFA, future policies, programmatic needs, course 
development and delivery, and the role of the USFA to reflect changes 
in the fire service. The panel included 13 members of the U.S. fire 
community. As a result of those recommendations, the USFA is working to 
identify all fire departments in the United States to develop and 
populate a national database that will include information related to 
demographics, capabilities and activities of fire departments 
Nationwide. In the first year of this effort, information was collected 
from 16,000 fire departments. Since the first year of the collection, 
an additional 8,000 departments have registered with the census for a 
total of 24,000 fire departments. This leaves an estimated 9,000 
departments still to respond.
    Collection of Information
    Title: National Fire Department Census.
    Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0070.
    Abstract: Many data products and reports exist that contain 
fragmented or estimated information about fire department demographics, 
and capabilities, but there is no single reference source today that 
aggregates this data to provide a complete and accurate profile of fire 
departments in the United States. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) 
receives many requests for information related to fire departments, 
including total number of departments, number of stations per 
department, population protected, apparatus and equipment status. The 
USFA is working to identify all fire departments in the United States 
to develop and populate a national database that will include 
information related to demographics, capabilities and activities. The 
database will be used by USFA to guide programmatic decisions, provide 
the Fire Service and the public with information about fire 
departments, to produce mailing lists for USFA publications and other 
materials. In the first year of this effort, information was collected 
from 16,000 fire departments. Since the first year of the collection, 
an additional 8,000 departments have registered with the census for a 
total of 24,000 fire departments. This leaves an estimated 9,000 
departments still to respond. Additionally, fire departments already 
registered with the census will be contacted once every five years to 
provide updates or changes to their census data so that USFA can keep 
the database as current as possible. Fire departments are able to 
complete the census form on-line through the USFA web site, or by 
filling out a paper census form and faxing the completed form, or 
sending it in a return envelope.
    Affected Public: Federal, State, local government, volunteer and 
industrial fire departments.

                                       Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Number of                                                    Annual burden
            FEMA forms               respondents    Frequency of      Hours per response  (C)      hours  (A x B
                                         (A)        response  (B)                                      x C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            9,000               1  25 Minutes (.42).............           3,750
                                  -----------------
    Total........................           9,000               1  25 Minutes (.42).............           3,750
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Cost: The estimated costs to the government will be 
contracted direct labor and associated overhead costs of $50,000. There 
would be no costs to the respondent other than the minimal direct labor 
cost of a single firefighter or emergency service worker taking a small 
amount of time to complete the census form and this would be applicable 
only to those fire departments and emergency service agencies with 
career employees. The majority of the respondents will be from 
volunteer fire departments for which no direct labor costs will be 
incurred. The estimate of respondent costs for those career departments 
is computed as follows: Estimated number of census forms multiplied by 
the national median hourly rate of a firefighter of $17.42 multiplied 
by .42 (representing the estimated 25 minutes it takes to complete the 
census form) and multiply that by .27 which represents the percentage 
of respondents who are career (paid) personnel. Using this equation, 
total estimated costs to respondents of $17,779 is derived (9,000 
estimated census forms x $17.42 = $156,780 x .42 = $65,848 x .27 = 
$17,779). The average cost per census form is a minimal $1.96. The 
respondents are under no obligation to complete the census form and may 
refuse to do so or stop at any time so the average cost to the 
respondent of $1.96 could easily not be incurred by refusing to fill 
out the census form.
    Comments: Written 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

[[Page 70868]]

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. Comments should be 
received within 60 days of the date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to Chief, 
Records Management Section, Information Resources Management Branch, 
Information Technology Services Division, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, Department of Homeland Security, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316, 
Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Gayle Kelch, Statistician, 
United States Fire Administration, National Fire Data Center (301) 447-
1154 for additional information. You may contact the Records Management 
Branch for copies of the proposed collection of information at 
facsimile number (202) 646-3347 or e-mail address: 
FEMA-Information-Collections@dhs.gov.


    Dated: November 15, 2005.
Darcy Bingham,
Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, Information 
Technology Services Division.
[FR Doc. 05-23134 Filed 11-22-05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 9110-17-P
