# Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
**AGENCY:**
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
**ACTION:**
Notice and request for comments.
**SUMMARY:**
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has submitted the following information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission describes the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden ( *i.e.* , the time, effort and resources used by respondents to respond) and cost, and includes the actual data collection instruments FEMA will use.
*Title:* The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) [^1] v5.0.
[^1] The National Fire Incident Reporting System is currently being transferred to the newly created Preparedness Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security. During this transition FEMA, also part of the Department of Homeland Security, will continue to support this program as the new Directorate stands up. Ultimately this data collection will be transferred to the Preparedness Directorate.
*OMB Number:* 1660-0069.
*Abstract:* NFIRS provides a mechanism using standardized reporting methods to collect and analyze fire incident data at the Federal, State, and local levels. Data analysis helps local fire departments and States to focus on current problems, predict future problems in their communities, and measure whether their programs are working.
*Affected Public:* Federal, State, and local governments.
*Number of Respondents:* 17,000 fire departments.
*Estimated Time per Respondent:* Average response time per incident is 1.63 hours (98 minutes) for manual submissions and .66 hours (40 minutes) for electronic submissions. Since the estimated time per respondent varies depending on the number and type of incidents being reported and the choice of submission mode, the range for completing all forms/modules is 1.25 hours-12 hours and .5 hours-4.75 hours for manual and electronic submissions, respectively.
*Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:* 7,583,585 hours.
*Frequency of Response:* Occasionally/Once per incidence report.
*Comments:* Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of Homeland Security/FEMA, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, or facsimile number (202) 395-7285. Comments must be submitted on or before April 24, 2006.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection should be made to Chief, Records Management, FEMA, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316, Washington, DC 20472, facsimile number (202) 646-3347, or e-mail address *[email protected].*
Dated: March 8, 2006.
Darcy Bingham,
Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, Information Technology Services Division.