[Federal Register: October 22, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 204)]
[Notices]
[Page 64896-64897]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22oc02-62]
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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
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, revision of a currently approved 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 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 leaving an estimated 17,000 fire
departments still to respond.
Collection of Information.
Title: National Fire Department Census.
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved
collection.
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, and produce mailing lists for USFA publications and other
materials.
Affected Public: Federal, State, local or Tribal government; not-
for-profit institutions; volunteer; and, industrial fire departments.
[[Page 64897]]
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Number of Annual burden
FEMA forms respondents Frequency of Hours per response (C) hours (A x B
(A) response (B) x C)
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17,000 1 25 Minutes (.42).............. 7,083
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Total..................... 17,000 1 25 Minutes (.42).............. 7,083
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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 average hourly rate of a firefighter of $18.65 multiplied
by .42 (representing the estimated 25 minutes it takes to complete the
census form) and multiply that by .25 which represents the percentage
of respondents who are career (paid) personnel. Using this equation,
total estimated costs to respondents of $33,290 is derived (17,000
estimated census forms x $18.65 = $317,050 x .42 = $133,161 x .25 =
$33,290). 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 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 Muriel
B. Anderson, Chief, Records Management Branch, Information Resources
Management Division, Information Technology Services Directorate,
Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316,
Washington, DC 20472, or email InformationCollections@fema.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Gayle Kelch, Statistician,
United States Fire Administration, National Fire Data Center (301) 447-
1154 for additional information. Contact Ms. Anderson at, email
InformationCollections@fema.gov. for copies of the proposed collection
of information.
Dated: October 15, 2002.
Edward W. Kernan,
Division Director, Information Resources Management Division,
Information Technology Services Directorate.
[FR Doc. 02-26796 Filed 10-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-01-P