Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Public Law 93-498, Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, Section 9(a) authorizes the Administrator, U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), to operate the National Fire Data Center (NFDC). The purpose of the NFDC is to provide an accurate nationwide analysis of the fire problem, identify major problem areas, assist in setting priorities, determine possible solutions to problems, and monitor the progress of programs designed to reduce fire losses. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) was designed as the vehicle to gather, analyze, publish, and disseminate data related to the prevention, occurrence, control, and results of fires of all types.

Collection of Information

Title: National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously approved collection for which approval has expired. OMB Number: 3067-0161. Form Numbers: NFIRS-1, Incident Report is used to describe each incident (or call) to which a fire department responds--Hour burden, 1. NFIRS-2, Civilian Casualty Report is used to report injuries or deaths of civilians or other emergency personnel (such as police or ambulance attendants) that occur in conjunction with an incidents--Hour burden, 55 minutes. NFIRS-3, Fire Service Casualty Report is used to report injuries or deaths of fire service personnel that occur in conjunction with any incident response--Hour burden, 50 minutes. NFIRS-4, Fire Department Identification, contains information that the State NFIRS Program Manager must collect for each fire department reporting on NFIRS--Hour burden, 30 minutes. NFIRS-5, Report of Submitted Incidents contains information that the State NFIRS Program Manager may use to help verify and balance the number of incidents contained in the computer with the number of actual incident report forms submitted--Hour burden, 30 minutes. NFIRS-HMI, Hazardous Material Incident Report is used in conjunction with NFIRS-1 to provide detailed information about hazardous material incidents so that data can be gathered to assist local, state and national agencies in dealing with national problems-- Hour burden, 45 minutes. Abstract: NFIRS data is used at the Local, State, and Federal levels as a standard method of collecting information concerning fire incidents, which is employed to quantify national experience and to formulate intervention strategies which target loss reduction from fire. Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government. Number of Respondents: 14,000.

Number of Responses: 980,000. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 983,000 Estimated Cost: $1.6M

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 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.