118th CONGRESS 2d Session |
To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on firefighter rapid intervention team training and equipment at Department of Defense facilities.
September 11, 2024
Ms. Sherrill introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on firefighter rapid intervention team training and equipment at Department of Defense facilities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Improving Military Firefighter Safety Act of 2024”.
SEC. 2. Study on firefighter rapid intervention team training and equipment at Department of Defense facilities.
(a) Study.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study of the training standards for firefighter rapid intervention teams and the use of equipment by such teams at Department of Defense facilities. Such study shall include—
(1) an identification of such training standards and equipment that, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, are in use by such teams and the extent to which such training and equipment is standard across firefighter rapid intervention teams located at different Department facilities;
(2) an identification of such training standards and equipment that, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, are in use by such teams at Department naval and port facilities and a determination by the Secretary of whether such training and equipment is sufficient to prepare such teams for fires on the various ships that dock at such facilities; and
(3) a description of any incident that—
(A) occurred during the ten-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act in which a firefighter was injured or killed at a Department facility; and
(B) the Secretary finds could have been prevented if the firefighters involved had received different training or equipment.
(b) Report to Congress.—Not later than September 30, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the results of the study required under subsection (a).
(c) Firefighter rapid intervention team defined.—In this section, the term “firefighter rapid intervention team” means a designated firefighting crew that serves as a stand-by rescue team at the scenes of fires and other emergencies and is available for the immediate search and rescue of missing, trapped, or injured firefighters if required.