Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 88 Part 2.djvu/225

 88 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 93-498-OCT. 29, 1974

1541

may be applicable and useful. Such studies shall include, but need not be limited to, the allocation of resources, the optimum location of fire stations, the optimum geographical area for an integrated fire service, the manner of responding to alarms, the operation of citywide and regional fire dispatch centers, firefighting under conditions of civil disturbance, and the effectiveness, frequency, and methods of building inspections. (2) The Administrator is authorized to conduct, directly or through contracts or grants, research concerning the productivity and efficiency of fire service personnel, the job categories and skills required by fire services under varying conditions, the reduction of injuries to fire service personnel, the most effective fire prevention programs and activities, and techniques for accurately measuring and analyzing the foregoing. (3) The Administrator is authorized to conduct, directly or through contracts, grants, or other forms of assistance, development, testing, and demonstration projects to the extent deemed necessary to introduce and to encourage the acceptance of new technology, standards, operating methods, command techniques, and management systems for utilization by the fire services. (4) The Administrator is authorized to assist the Nation's fire services, directly or through contracts, grants, or other forms of assistance, to measure and evaluate, on a cost-benefit basis, the effectiveness of the programs and activities of each fire service and the predictable consequences on the applicable local fire services of coordination or combination, in whole or in part, in a regional, metropolitan, or statewide fire service. (d) EuRAL ASSISTANT:.—The Administrator is authorized to assist the Nation's fire services, directly or through contracts, grants, or other forms of assistance, to sponsor and encourage research into approaches, techniques, systems, and equipment to improve fire prevention and control in the rural and remote areas of the Nation. (e) COORDINATION.—In establishing and conducting programs under this section, the Administrator shall take full advantage of applicable technological developments made by other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, by State and local governments, and by business, industry, and nonprofit associations. NATIONAL FIRE DATA CENTER

SEC. 9. (a) GENERAL.—The Administrator shall operate, directly or is use 2208. through contracts or grants, an integrated, comprehensive National Fire Data Center for the selection, analysis, publication, and dissemination of information related to the prevention, occurrence, control, and results of fires of all types. The program of such Data Center shall ^^^^^^J^^f^,l^J be designed to (1) provide an accurate nationwide analysis of the fire program, f u n c problem, (2) identify major problem areas, (3) assist in setting priorities, (4) determine possible solutions to problems, and (5) monitor the progress of programs to reduce fire losses. To carry out these functions, the Data Center shall gather and analyze— (1) information on the frequency, causes, spread, and extinguishment of fires; (2) information on the number of injuries and deaths resulting from fires, including the maximum available information on the specific causes and nature of such injuries and deaths, and information on property losses; (3) information on the occupational hazards faced by firefighters, including the causes of deaths and injuries arising, directly and indirectly, from firefighting activities; 38-194 O - 76 - 15 Pt. 2

�