CFSI and NAC release FEMA Reform comprehensive report

The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), together with its National Advisory Committee (NAC), has released a comprehensive report titled FEMA Reform: Recommendations from America’s Fire and Emergency Services.

The report outlines critical steps the federal government must take to strengthen national preparedness, enhance FEMA’s effectiveness and support the nation’s one million firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.

CFSI’s recommendations emphasize that America’s fire and emergency services are not only the backbone of local emergency response but constitute a critical national capability, recognized by the US Department of Homeland Security as one of the nation’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors.

Highlights of the report

Fire departments protect not only communities but also the critical infrastructure upon which the nation’s economy, security, and public health rely.

The report highlights several urgent needs, including:

• Elevating the US Fire Administration (USFA) and expanding its role within FEMA
• Strengthening FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) system and ensuring timely reimbursement to USAR task force teams for costs
• Modernizing national fire data systems, particularly through the implementation of the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS)
• Enhancing federal wildfire mitigation and response programs, including rapid post-fire assistance
• Protecting and fully funding core FEMA grant programs, including AFG and SAFER, which provide essential equipment, staffing, training, and preparedness resources to local agencies

The impact of sustained federal support

As local fire departments and EMS agencies face increasing equipment and training costs, increasingly complex hazards and strained budgets, sustained federal support is essential to America’s emergency response capabilities.

With FEMA’s future being examined by Congress and the Administration, it is essential that the federal partnership with America’s fire and emergency services is strongly maintained.

National resilience depends on local readiness. Any FEMA reforms must strengthen the federal commitment to the fire and emergency services that safeguard millions of Americans every day.

CFSI and NAC release FEMA Reform comprehensive report: Summary

The Congressional Fire Services Institute together with its National Advisory Committee, has released a comprehensive report titled FEMA Reform: Recommendations from America’s Fire and Emergency Services.