[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 23702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10826]



[[Page 23702]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2018-0023; OMB No. 1660-0070]


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

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

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 to take this opportunity to comment on an extension, 
without change, 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 Registry.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 23, 2018.

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-2018-0023. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    (2) Mail. Submit written comments to Docket Manager, Office of 
Chief Counsel, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street SW, 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-
3100.
    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, FEMA, 
United States Fire Administration, National Fire Data Center at (301) 
447-1154 or email [email protected]. You may contact the 
Information Management Division for copies of the proposed collection 
of information at email address: [email protected].

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 
fall of 2016, the USFA renamed the census to the National Fire 
Department Registry.
    In the fall of 2001, information was collected from 16,000 fire 
departments. Since the first year of the collection, an additional 
11,217 departments have registered for a total of 27,217 fire 
departments. This leaves an estimated 2,780 departments still to 
respond. Additionally, about 5,440 current 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 Registry.
    Type of Information Collection: Extension, without change, of a 
currently approved information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0070.
    FEMA Forms: FEMA Form 070-0-0-1, National Fire Department Registry.
    Abstract: This collection seeks to identify fire departments in the 
United States to compile 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 Number of Respondents: 8,223.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 8,223.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,067 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $11,648.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $91,847.

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.

Rachel Frier,
Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2018-10826 Filed 5-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-76-P


