The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 was created in response to the 1973 National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control report, '' America Burning''. The report's authors estimated fires caused 12,000 deaths, 300,000 serious injuries and $11.4 billion in property damage annually in the United States, asserting that "the richest and most technologically advanced nation in the world leads all the major industrialized countries in per capita deaths and property loss from fire." The report proposed that a federal agency be established to help combat the growing problem of fatal

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames a ...

s happening throughout the country. The S. 1769

legislation Legislation is the process or result of enrolling, enacting, or promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to ...

was passed by the 93rd Congressional session and enacted by the 38th

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Gerald Ford on October 29, 1974.

Provisions of the FPCA

The Act of Congress created a national superintendence for the administrative and organizational

parameter A parameter (), generally, is any characteristic that can help in defining or classifying a particular system (meaning an event, project, object, situation, etc.). That is, a parameter is an element of a system that is useful, or critical, when ...

s of local and State government firefighting entities. The Act established the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control, and a National Fire Data Center.

Congressional Findings

:Congress finds that — ::(1) The National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control has made an exhaustive and comprehensive examination of the Nation's fire problem, has made detailed findings as to the extent of this problem in terms of human suffering and loss of life and property, and has made ninety recommendations. ::(2) The United States has the highest per capita rate of

death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

and property loss from fire of all the major industrialized nations in the world. ::(3) Fire is an undue burden affecting all Americans, and fire also constitutes a public health and safety problem of great dimensions. Fire kills 12,000 and

scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a n ...

s and injures 300,000 Americans each year, including 50,000 individuals who require extended hospitalization. Almost $3 billion worth of property is destroyed annually by fire, and the total economic cost of destructive fire in the United States is estimated conservatively to be $11,000,000,000 per year. Firefighting is the Nation's most hazardous profession. ::(4) Such losses of life and property from fire are unacceptable to the Congress. ::(5) While fire prevention and control is and should remain a State and local responsibility, the Federal Government must help if a significant reduction in fire losses is to be achieved. ::(6) The

fire service A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...

and the civil defense program in each locality would both benefit from closer cooperation. ::(7) The Nation's fire problem is exacerbated by — :::(A) Indifference with which some Americans confront the subject :::(B) Nation's failure to undertake enough research and development into fire and fire-related problems :::(C) Scarcity of reliable data and information :::(D) Fact that designers and purchasers of buildings and products generally give insufficient attention to fire safety :::(E) Fact that many communities lack adequate building and fire prevention codes :::(F) Fact that local fire departments spend about 95 cents of every dollar appropriated to the

fire services A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...

on efforts to extinguish fires and only about 5 cents on fire prevention ::(8) There is a need for improved professional training and education oriented toward improving the effectiveness of the fire services, including an increased emphasis on preventing fires and on reducing injuries to firefighters. ::(9) A national system for the collection,

analysis Analysis ( : analyses) is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle (3 ...

, and

dissemination To disseminate (from lat. ''disseminare'' "scattering seeds"), in the field of communication, is to broadcast a message to the public without direct feedback from the audience. Meaning Dissemination takes on the theory of the traditional view ...

of fire data is needed to help local fire services establish research and action priorities. ::(10) The number of specialized medical centers which are properly equipped and staffed for the treatment of burns and there habilitation of victims of fires is inadequate. ::(11) The unacceptably high rates of death, injury, and property loss from fire can be reduced if the Federal Government establishes a coordinated program to support and reinforce the fire prevention and control activities of State and local governments.

Establishment of the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration

:The National Fire Prevention and Control Administration is authorized to educate the public and to overcome public indifference as to fire and fire prevention. Such steps may include, but are not limited to,

publication To publish is to make content available to the general public.Berne Conve ...

s, audio visual presentations, and

demonstrations Demonstration may refer to: * Demonstration (acting), part of the Brechtian approach to acting * Demonstration (military), an attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sought * Demonstration (political), a political rally or prote ...

. Such public education efforts shall include programs to provide specialized information for those groups of individuals who are particularly vulnerable to fire hazards, such as the young and the elderly. The NFPCA shall sponsor and encourage research, testing, and experimentation to determine the most effective means of such public education.

Establishment of National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control

:The purpose of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control shall be to advance the professional development of fire service personnel and of other persons engaged in fire prevention and control activities. ::Program of the Academy — :::(1) Train fire service personnel in such skills and knowledge as may be useful to advance their ability to prevent and control fires, including, but not limited to — ::::(A) Techniques of fire prevention, fire inspection, firefighting, and fire and arson investigation ::::(B)

Tactics Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to: * Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks ** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield ** Chess tactics ** Political tact ...

and command of firefighting for present and future

fire chief A fire chief or fire commissioner is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department. Nomenclature Various official English-language titles for a fire chief include ''fire chief'', ''chief fire officer'' and ''fire commissioner' ...

s and commanders ::::(C) Administration and management of fire services ::::(D) Tactical training in the specialized field of aircraft fire control and crash

rescue Rescue comprises responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, or the urgent treatment of injuries after an accident or a dangerous situation. Tools used might include search and rescue dogs, mounted search and rescue ...

::::(E) Tactical training in the specialized field of

fire control Fire control is the practice of reducing the heat output of a fire, reducing the area over which the fire exists, or suppressing or extinguishing the fire by depriving it of fuel, oxygen, or heat (see fire triangle). Fire prevention and control i ...

and rescue aboard waterborne vessels ::::(F) Training of present and future instructors in the aforementioned subjects :::(2) Develop model

curricula In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...

, training programs, and other educational materials suitable for use a to there educational institutions, and to make such materials available without charge :::(3) Develop and administer a program of correspondence courses to advance the knowledge and skills of fire service personnel :::(4) Develop and distribute to appropriate officials model questions suitable for use in conducting entrance and promotional examinations for fire service personnel :::(5) Encourage the inclusion of fire prevention and detection technology and practices in the education and professional practice of

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

builders Builder may refer to: * Construction worker, who specializes in building work * Carpenter, a skilled craftsman who works with wood * General contractor, that specializes in building work ** Subcontractor * Builder (detergent), a component of mode ...

, city planners, and others engaged in design and planning affected by fire safety problems.

Fire Technology

:Technology Development Program — ::The NFPCA shall conduct a continuing program of

technology development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...

, testing, and evaluation of equipment for use by the Nation's fire, rescue, and civil defense services, with the aim of making available improved

suppression Suppression may refer to: Laws * Suppression of Communism Act *Suppression order a type of censorship where a court rules that certain information cannot be published * Tohunga Suppression Act 1907, an Act of the Parliament of New Zealand aimed ...

, protective, auxiliary, and warning devices incorporating the latest technology. Attention shall be given to the standardization, compatibility, and

interchangeability Interchangeability can refer to: *Interchangeable parts Interchangeable parts are parts (components) that are identical for practical purposes. They are made to specifications that ensure that they are so nearly identical that they will fit into ...

of such equipment. Such development, testing, and evaluation activities shall include, but need not be limited to — :::(1) Safer, less cumbersome articles of protective clothing, including

helmets A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protec ...

, boots, and coats :::(2) Breathing apparatus with the necessary duration of service, reliability, low weight, and ease of operation for practical use :::(3) Safe and reliable auxiliary equipment for use in fire prevention, detection, and control, such as fire location detectors, visual and audio communications equipment, and mobile equipment :::(4) Special clothing and equipment needed for

forest fires A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identif ...

, brushfires, oil and gasoline fires, aircraft fires and crash rescue, fires occurring aboard waterborne vessels, and in other special firefighting situations :::(5) Fire detectors and related equipment for residential use with high sensitivity and reliability, and which are sufficiently inexpensive to purchase, install, and maintain to insure wide acceptance and use :::(6) In place fire prevention systems of low cost and of increased reliability and effectiveness :::(7) Methods of testing fire alarms and fire protection devices and systems on a non-interference basis :::(8) Development of purchase specifications, standards, and acceptance and validation test procedures for all such equipment and devices :::(9) Operation tests, demonstration projects, and fire investigations in support of the activities set forth in this section.

National Fire Data Center

:The NFPCA shall operate, directly or through contracts or grants, an integrated, comprehensive National Fire Data Center for the selection, analysis, publication, and dissemination of information related to the prevention, occurrence, control, and results of fires of all types. The program of such Data Center shall be designed to — :::(1) Provide an accurate nationwide analysis of the fire problem :::(2) Identify major problem areas :::(3) Assist in setting priorities :::(4) Determine possible solutions to problems :::(5) Monitor the progress of programs to reduce fire losses. :To carry out these functions, the Data Center shall gather and analyze — :::(1) Information on the

frequency Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. It is also occasionally referred to as ''temporal frequency'' for clarity, and is distinct from ''angular frequency''. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) which is eq ...

, causes, spread, and

extinguishment In contract law, extinguishment is the destruction of a right or contract. Rawle, Francis; Bouvier, John. (1914) Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia Extinguishment.' Pp. 1166-1167. 3rd revision (being the 8th ed.) Vernon Law Book C ...

of fires :::(2) Information on the number of injuries and deaths resulting from fires, including the maximum available information on the specific causes and nature of such injuries and deaths, and information on property losses :::(3) Informationon the occupational hazards faced by firefighters, including the causes of deaths and injuries arising, directly and indirectly, from firefighting activities :::(4) Information on all types of firefighting activities, including inspection practices :::(5) Technical information related to building construction, fire properties of materials, and similar information :::(6) Information on fire prevention and control laws, systems, methods, techniques, and administrative structures used in foreign nations :::(7) Information on the causes, behavior, and best method of control of other types of fire, including, but not limited to, forest fires, brushfires, fire underground, oil blowout fires, and waterborne fires :::(8) Such other information and data as is deemed useful and applicable.

References

External links

* * * * * * {{Fire protection , state=autocollapse 1974 in law 93rd United States Congress Fire investigation Fire protection Fire prevention law Firefighting in the United States United States federal housing legislation