
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1945-1946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-484]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2011-0041; OMB No. 1660-0070]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request, National Fire Department Census

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 revision of a currently approved information 
collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
this notice seeks comments concerning the use of a form to collect data 
for the development and continuation of the National Fire Department 
Census.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 12, 2012.

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-2011-0041. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    (2) Mail. Submit written comments to Regulatory Affairs Division, 
Office of Chief Counsel, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street SW., Room 835, 
Washington, DC 20472-3100.
    (3) Facsimile. Submit comments to (703) 483-2999.
    (4) Email. Submit comments to FEMA-POLICY@dhs.gov. Include Docket 
ID FEMA-2011-0041 in the subject line.
    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: Gayle Kelch, Statistician, United 
States Fire Administration, National Fire Data Center, (301) 447-1154 
for additional information. You may contact the Records Management 
Division for copies of the proposed collection of information at 
facsimile number (202) 646-3347 or email address: FEMA-Information-Collections-Management@dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 93-498 provides for the gathering 
and analyzing of data as deemed useful and applicable for fire 
departments. 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 
census database came out of a Blue Ribbon Panel's review of the USFA. 
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. As a result of those recommendations, the USFA is working to 
identify all fire departments in the United States to develop a 
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 10,500 departments have registered with the census for a 
total of 26,500 fire departments. This leaves an estimated 3,500 
departments still to respond. Additionally, about 5,300 current census 
registered departments are contacted by USFA each year and are asked to 
provide updates to any previously submitted information.

Collection of Information

    Title: National Fire Department Census.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0070.
    Form Titles and Numbers: FEMA Form 070-0-0-1, National Fire 
Department Census.
    Abstract: This collection seeks to identify fire departments in the 
United States to compile and update a database related to their 
demographics, capabilities, and activities. The database is used to 
guide programmatic decisions and provide information to the public and 
the fire service.
    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,342 hours.

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                                                                        Number of                                                          Total annual
       Type of respondent          Form name/Form       Number of     responses per   Total number      Avg. burden per response  (in       burden  (in
                                       number          respondents     respondent     of responses                  hours)                    hours)
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 State, Local, or Tribal         National Fire                  490               1             490   .4167 hours (25 minutes)..........             204
 (career).                        Department Census/
                                  FEMA Form 070-0-0-
                                  1.

[[Page 1946]]

 
 State, Local, or Tribal          National Fire               3,010               1           3,010   .4167 hours (25 minutes)..........           1,254
 (volunteer).                     Department Census/
                                  FEMA Form 070-0-0-
                                  1.
 State, Local, or Tribal          National Fire                 742               1             742   .1667 hours (10 minutes)..........             124
 (career).                        Department Census/
                                  FEMA Form 070-0-0-
                                  1 (update).
 State, Local, or Tribal          National Fire               4,558               1           4,558   .1667 hours (10 minutes)..........             760
 (volunteer).                     Department Census/
                                  FEMA Form 070-0-0-
                                  1 (update).
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................  ..................           8,800  ..............           8,800  ...................................           2,342
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    Estimated Cost: The estimated annual cost to respondents for the 
hour burden is $10,539. The estimated annual cost to respondents 
operations and maintenance costs for technical services is $0. There 
are no annual start-up or capital costs. The cost to the Federal 
government is $85,770.

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.

John G. Jenkins, Jr.,
Acting Director, Records Management Division, Mission Support Bureau, 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2012-484 Filed 1-11-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-45-P


