Frequently Asked Questions for the Fire Service

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Training

Please see Frequently Asked Questions by Students.

Publications

Are publications free?
Yes, all USFA publications are free of charge.
Can I reproduce publications locally?
USFA publications are in the public domain and may be reproduced locally, with one exception: the Sesame Street Fire Safety Station kit. The only portion of this kit that may be reproduced locally is Color and Learn. All other kit components are copyrighted and may not be reproduced.
Why are there order quantity limits on publications?
Due to limited printing resources, USFA can only offer so many publications free of charge to each organization. In order to provide as many fire departments, schools and other organizations with copies of our publications, we must limit the number of free copies that we provide. Publications are in the public domain (see above) and may be reproduced locally.  Additionally, digital artwork for many of our publications is available through the USFA Publications Center.
I lost my publications password - who do I contact?
Please visit this page to request your password through e-mail. You may also send an e-mail to the Publications Center at USFA-Publications@dhs.gov or call (800) 561-3356.
I can't register for a publications account because someone at my mailing address already has one - what do I do?
Please call the Publications Center at (800) 561-3356 to place your order.

Using Information on the USFA Web Site

Is information on your Web site copyrighted?
Most of the information on the USFA Web site is in the public domain. In instances where this isn't the case, information related to copyright or ownership is provided. To use that information, you will need to contact the owner. If you have a question related to copyright or ownership, please send an e-mail to usfa-webmaster@dhs.gov and include the URL of the Web page for which you need verification.
Can I use/reproduce information that I find on your Web site?
Yes, provided the information is not copyrighted or attributed to another organization.
Can I link to your Web site?
Yes. Please visit the Link to Us page for details and banners.
I would like for USFA to link to my Web site - who do I ask?
Please see our linking policy.

Other Questions

What grants are available for fire and emergency services departments?
Please visit the Grants and Funding page.  For questions related to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and related grant programs such as SAFER, please see www.firegrantsupport.com.
How do I report a firefighter fatality to the U.S. Fire Administration?
Please contact Mark Whitney at (301) 447-1836 or complete the online notification form.
How does my department begin reporting incidents through the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)?
Please contact the NFIRS Support Center at (888) 382-3827 for information on getting started and any other technical support questions you may have related to NFIRS.
What jobs are available with your Agency?
Please visit our Employment Opportunities Page
How do I become a contract instructor for the National Fire Academy?
Please see the NFA Contract Instructor page.
Can USFA send staff to speak at my event/conference?
Requests for USFA's participation in your organization's event may be e-mailed to Tim Ganley. As much as we enjoy bringing our fire safety message to events across the country, budgetary constraints force us to limit our travel to local events. If we are unable to attend your event, we hope that you understand why and trust that the free materials we offer through our Publications Center will be of some assistance to you.
Does USFA have a patch that you can send to me?
Unfortunately, we do not. USFA is an office within the Federal government and not a fire department, so a patch is something we have not created.
I want to be a firefighter - what do I do?
Training, education and other requirements for firefighters vary from state to state and from locality to locality. If you want to become a career firefighter, the best thing to do is to contact the fire department's personnel office to find out what the employment requirements are.
If you want to become a volunteer firefighter within your community, schedule an appointment with the Chief of the department or a designated officer to talk about the requirements. Additional information on the volunteer fire service may be found on the National Volunteer Fire Council's Web site.