|
U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 2201. Congressional findings
The Congress finds that -
(1) The National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control,
established pursuant to Public Law 90-259, 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 thoughtful recommendations.
(2) The United States today has the highest per capita rate of
death 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 scars 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 and the civil defense program in each
locality would both benefit from closer cooperation.
(7) The Nation's fire problem is exacerbated by (A) the
indifference with which some Americans confront the subject; (B)
the Nation's failure to undertake enough research and development
into fire and fire-related problems; (C) the scarcity of reliable
data and information; (D) the fact that designers and purchasers
of buildings and products generally give insufficient attention
to fire safety; (E) the fact that many communities lack adequate
building and fire prevention codes; and (F) the fact that local
fire departments spend about 95 cents of every dollar
appropriated to the fire services 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, and
dissemination 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 the
rehabilitation 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.
|
|