United States Fire Administration
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The United States Fire Administration (USFA) is a division of the Directorate for Preparedness, which in turn is managed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Because of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act and the DHS Appropriations Act of 2007 the Fire Administration is being transferred to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The U.S. Fire Administration was organized in 1973 as a result of a publication called America Burning. The report stated that a federal agency be organized to help combat the growing problem of fatal fires happening throughout the country. The USFA manages many of the federal programs related to fire fighting including systematic collection of statistics relating to fire incidents (National Fire Incident Reporting System), public fire education campaign materials, and information on grants and funding. They also provide a directory of approved, fire-safe hotels, and information on home fire safety.
The USFA manages the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland on the a campus acquired from Saint Joseph College in March 1979. The NETC is comprised of the National Fire Academy (NFA) as well as the Emergency Management Institute (EMI). Firefighters and emergency managers from around the United States and the world attend courses at these academies in order to further enhance emergency services in their communities.
