- (a) Establishment
The Secretary shall establish, at the earliest practicable date, a National
Academy for Fire Prevention and Control. The purpose of the Academy shall be to advance the professional development of fire service personnel and of other persons engaged in fire prevention and control activities.
- (b) Superintendent
The Academy shall be headed by a Superintendent, who shall be appointed by the
Secretary. In exercising the powers and authority contained in this section the Superintendent shall be subject to the direction of the Administrator.
- (c) Powers of Superintendent
The Superintendent is authorized to -
- (1) develop and revise curricula, standards for admission and performance,
and criteria for the awarding of degrees and certifications;
- (2) appoint such teaching staff and other personnel as he determines to be
necessary or appropriate;
- (3) conduct courses and programs of training and education, as defined in
subsection (d) of this section;
- (4) appoint faculty members and consultants without regard to the provisions
of title 5, governing appointments in the competitive service, and, with respect to temporary and intermittent services, to make appointments to the same extent as is authorized by section 3109 of title 5;
- (5) establish fees and other charges for attendance at, and subscription to,
courses and programs offered by the Academy. Such fees may be modified or waived as determined by the Superintendent;
- (6) conduct short courses, seminars, workshops, conferences, and similar
education and training activities in all parts and localities of the United States;
- (7) enter into such contracts and take such other actions as may be necessary
in carrying out the purposes of the Academy; and
- (8) consult with officials of the fire services and other interested persons
in the exercise of the foregoing powers.
- (d) Program of the Academy
The Superintendent is authorized to -
- (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 and command of firefighting for present and future fire chiefs
and commanders;
- (C) administration and management of fire services;
- (D) tactical training in the specialized field of aircraft fire control and
crash rescue;
- (E) tactical training in the specialized field of fire control and rescue
aboard waterborne vessels; and
- (F) the training of present and future instructors in the aforementioned
subjects;
- (2) develop model curricula, training programs and other educational
materials suitable for use at other 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; and
- (5) encourage the inclusion of fire prevention and detection technology and
practices in the education and professional practice of architects, builders, city planners, and others engaged in design and planning affected by fire safety problems.
- (e) Technical assistance
The Administrator is authorized, to the extent that he determines it necessary
to meet the needs of the Nation, to encourage new programs and to strengthen existing programs of education and training by local fire services, units, and departments, State and local governments, and private institutions, by providing technical assistance and advice to -
- (1) vocational training programs in techniques of fire prevention, fire
inspection, firefighting, and fire and arson investigation;
- (2) fire training courses and programs at junior colleges; and
- (3) four-year degree programs in fire engineering at colleges and universities.
- (f) Assistance to State and local fire service training programs
The Administrator is authorized to provide assistance to State and local fire
service training programs through grants, contracts, or otherwise. Such assistance shall not exceed 4 per centum of the amount authorized to be appropriated in each fiscal year pursuant to section 2216 of this title.
- (g) Site selection
The Academy shall be located on such site as the Secretary selects, subject to
the following provisions:
- (1) The Secretary is authorized to appoint a Site Selection Board consisting
of the Academy Superintendent and two other members to survey the most suitable sites for the location of the Academy and to make recommendations to the Secretary.
- (2) The Site Selection Board in making its recommendations and the Secretary
in making his final selection, shall give consideration to the training and facility needs of the Academy, environmental effects, the possibility of using a surplus Government facility, and such other factors as are deemed important and relevant. The Secretary shall make a final site selection not later than 2 years after October 29, 1974.
- (h) Construction costs
Of the sums authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of implementing the
programs of the Administration, not more than $9,000,000 shall be available for the construction of facilities of the Academy on the site selected under subsection (g) of this section. Such sums for such construction shall remain available until expended.
- (i) Educational and professional assistance
The Administrator is authorized to -
- (1) provide stipends to students attending Academy courses and programs, in
amounts up to 75 per centum of the expense of attendance, as established by the Superintendent;
- (2) provide stipends to students attending courses and nondegree training
programs approved by the Superintendent at universities, colleges, and junior colleges, in amounts up to 50 per centum of the cost of tuition;
- (3) make or enter into contracts to make payments to institutions of higher
education for loans, not to exceed $2,500 per academic year for any individual who is enrolled on a full-time basis in an undergraduate or graduate program of fire research or engineering which is certified by the Superintendent. Loans under this paragraph shall be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Superintendent and each institution involved may jointly determine; and
- (4) establish and maintain a placement and promotion opportunities center in
cooperation with the fire services, for firefighters who wish to learn and take advantage of different or better career opportunities. Such center shall not limit such assistance to students and graduates of the Academy, but shall undertake to assist all fire service personnel.
- (j) Board of Visitors
Upon establishment of the Academy, the Secretary shall establish a procedure
for the selection of professionals in the field of fire safety, fire prevention, fire control, research and development in fire protection, treatment and rehabilitation of fire victims, or local government services management to serve as members of a Board of Visitors for the Academy. Pursuant to such procedure, the Secretary shall select eight such persons to serve as members of such Board of Visitors to serve such terms as the Secretary may prescribe. The function of such Board shall be to review annually the program of the Academy and to make comments and recommendations to the Secretary regarding the operation of the Academy and any improvements therein which such Board deems appropriate. Each member of such Board shall be reimbursed for any expenses actually incurred by him in the performance of his duties as a member of such Board.
- (k) Accreditation
The Superintendent is authorized to establish a Committee on Fire Training and
Education which shall inquire into and make recommendations regarding the desirability of establishing a mechanism for accreditation of fire training and education programs and courses, and the role which the Academy should play if such a mechanism is recommended. The Committee shall consist of the Superintendent as Chairman and eighteen other members appointed by the Administrator from among individuals and organizations possessing special knowledge and experience in the field of fire training and education or related fields. The Committee shall submit to the Administrator within two years after its appointment, a full and complete report of its findings and recommendations. Upon the submission of such report, the Committee shall cease to exist. Each appointed member of the Committee shall be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of his duties as a member.
- (l) Admission
The Superintendent is authorized to admit to the courses and programs of the
Academy individuals who are members of the firefighting, rescue, and civil defense forces of the Nation and such other individuals, including candidates for membership in these forces, as he determines can benefit from attendance. Students shall be admitted from any State, with due regard to adequate representation in the student body of all geographic regions of the Nation. In selecting students, the Superintendent may seek nominations and advice from the fire services and other organizations which wish to send students to the Academy.