Search Results

open access

Wildfire Damages to Homes and Resources: Understanding Causes and Reducing Losses

Description: Wildfires are getting more severe, with more acres and houses burned and more people at risk. This results from excess biomass in the forests, due to past logging and grazing and a century of fire suppression, combined with an expanding wild land-urban interface-more people and houses in and near the forests-and climate change, exacerbating drought and insect and disease problems. This report looks at the causes of wildfires, and the pros and cons of their treatment.
Date: March 12, 2012
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Funding Emergency Communications: Technology and Policy Considerations

Description: This report identifies areas where changes in existing policies and practices may facilitate achievement of the important goals for emergency communications that Congress and others have identified. Why these goals have become important, and recent planning efforts to achieve these goals, is discussed first. Next, possible barriers to achieving these goals are identified and described. The conclusion revisits key options presently under consideration by Congress.
Date: January 5, 2012
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

FEMA's Community Disaster Loan Program: History, Analysis, and Issues for Congress

Description: This report compares and analyzes three different categories of loans issued in different time periods in the program's history: "traditional" loans issued between 1974 and 2005, in 2007, and between 2009 and 2011 (TCDLs); "special" (SCDLs) loans issued in 2005-2006 following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and loans issued under unique provisions in 2008 (2008 CDLs).
Date: May 10, 2012
Creator: Brown, Jared T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): A Summary

Description: This report summarizes the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the major regulatory programs that mandate reporting by industrial facilities of releases of potentially hazardous chemicals to the environment, as well as local planning to respond in the event of significant, accidental releases.
Date: April 5, 2012
Creator: Schierow, Linda-Jo
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Forest Fire/Wildfire Protection

Description: Congress continues to face questions about forestry practices, funding levels, and the federal role in wildfire protection. Recent fire seasons have been, by most standards, among the worst in the past half century. This report looks at factors contributing to wildfires as well as active and preventative treatments for wildfires.
Date: March 7, 2012
Creator: Gorte, Ross W. & Bracmort, Kelsi
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
Date: June 1, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: This report discusses the adequate staffing for Fire and Emergency Response. It describes the SAFER Act, which was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The Department of Defense and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10) funded SAFER at $405 million.
Date: June 1, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

An Examination of Federal Disaster Relief Under the Budget Control Act

Description: This report addresses traditional funding for major disaster declarations, workings of the President's Disaster Relief Fund, a basic overview of how disaster assistance is appropriated, what factors affect how much the federal government spends on disasters, how disaster relief is impacted by the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011, and what the policy implications are for disaster assistance under the constraints of the BCA, and the increasing number of disaster declarations and both the possible… more
Date: February 10, 2012
Creator: Lindsay, Bruce R.; Painter, William L. & McCarthy, Francis X.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The First Responder Network and Next- Generation Communications for Public Safety: Issues for Congress

Description: Since September 11, 2001, when communications failures contributed to the tragedies of the day, Congress has passed several laws intended to create a nationwide emergency communications capability. Yet the United States has continued to strive for a solution that assures seamless communications among first responders and emergency personnel at the scene of a major disaster. To address this problem, Congress included provisions in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 11… more
Date: May 23, 2012
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
Date: June 8, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
Date: May 17, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act—popularly called the “SAFER Act”—was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staff… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act—popularly called the “SAFER Act”—was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staff… more
Date: January 3, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program

Description: In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act—popularly called the “SAFER Act”—was enacted by the 108th Congress as Section 1057 of the FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and combination local fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry-minimum standards and attain 24-hour staff… more
Date: February 14, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

United States Fire Administration: An Overview

Description: The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)—which includes the National Fire Academy (NFA)—is currently housed within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The objective of the USFA is to significantly reduce the nation's loss of life from fire, while also achieving a reduction in property loss and non-fatal injury due to fire. The United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008 was signed into law on October 8, 2008. As is the case w… more
Date: January 3, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

United States Fire Administration: An Overview

Description: The United States Fire Administration (USFA)—which includes the National Fire Academy (NFA)—is currently housed within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The objective of the USFA is to significantly reduce the nation's loss of life from fire, while also achieving a reduction in property loss and non-fatal injury due to fire. As is the case with many federal programs, concerns in the 112th Congress over the federal budget deficit could … more
Date: June 1, 2012
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Wildfire Protection in the Wildland-Urban Interface

Description: Congress continues to face questions about forestry practices, funding levels, and the federal role in wildfire protection. Recent fire seasons have been, by most standards, among the worst in the past half century. This report looks at factors contributing to wildfires as well as active and preventative treatments for wildfires.
Date: January 23, 2012
Creator: Gorte, Ross W. & Bracmort, Kelsi
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Congressional Primer on Major Disasters and Emergencies

Description: This report covers the role of the government in disaster management. While the disaster response and recovery process is fundamentally a relationship between the federal government and the requesting state government, there are roles for congressional offices to play in providing information to the federal/state response and recovery teams in their respective states and districts. Congressional offices also serve as a valuable source of accurate and timely information to their constituents.
Date: August 31, 2011
Creator: McCarthy, Francis X. & Brown, Jared T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

FEMA's Community Disaster Loan Program: History, Analysis, and Issues for Congress

Description: This report compares and analyzes three different categories of loans issued in different time periods in the program's history: "traditional" loans issued between 1974 and 2005, in 2007, and between 2009 and 2011 (TCDLs); "special" (SCDLs) loans issued in 2005-2006 following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and loans issued under unique provisions in 2008 (2008 CDLs).
Date: July 3, 2012
Creator: Brown, Jared T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding

Description: This report discusses the firefighting activities that are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. The report also talks about the funding for firefighters, which is provided mostly by state and local governments. However, during the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments require and deserve greater support from the federal government.
Date: June 3, 2011
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen