[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 44, Volume 1]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 44CFR151.03]



[Page 384-385]

 

              TITLE 44--EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE

 

 CHAPTER I--FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

                                SECURITY

 

PART 151_REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS OF FIREFIGHTING ON FEDERAL PROPERTY

--Table of Contents

 

                  Subpart A_Purpose, Scope, Definitions

 

Sec. 151.03  Definitions.



    (a) The Act means the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 

1974, 15 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.

    (b) Additional firefighting costs over and above normal operating 

costs means reasonable and authorized (or ratified by a responsible 

Federal official) costs ordinarily associated with the function of 

firefighting as performed by a fire service. Such costs would normally 

arise out of response of personnel and apparatus to the site of the 

fire, search and rescue, exposure protection, fire containment, 

ventilation, salvage, extinguishment, overhaul, and preparation of the 

equipment for further use. This would also include costs associated with 

emergency medical services to the extent normally rendered by a fire 

service in connection with a fire. Not included are administrative 

expenses, costs of employee benefits, insurance, disability, death, 

litigation or health care, and the costs associated with processing 

claims under section 11 of the Act and this part.

    (c) Director means the Director of the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, or his/her designee.

    (d) Claimant means a fire service as defined in paragraph (g) of 

this section.

    (e) Direct expenses and losses means expenses and losses which would 

not have been incurred had not the fire in question taken place. This 

includes salaries for specially employed personnel, overtime pay, the 

cost of supplies expended, and the depreciated value of equipment 

destroyed or damaged. It does not include such costs as the ordinary 

wages of firefighters, overhead costs, or depreciation (if based on 

other than hours of use during fires). Expenses as defined herein would 

normally be incurred after the first call or alarm and would normally 

cease upon the first of the following: Return to station, report in-

service and ready for further operations, or commence response to 

another incident.

    (f) Fire means any instance of destructive or uncontrolled burning, 

including scorch burns and explosions of combustible dusts or solids, 

flammable liquids, and gases. The definition does



[[Page 385]]



not include the following except where they cause fire or occur as a 

consequence of fire: Lightning or electrical discharge, explosion of 

steam boilers, hot water tanks, or other pressure vessels, explosions of 

ammunition or other detonating materials, overheating, mechanical 

failures, or breakdown of electrical equipment in power transmission 

facilities, and accidents involving ships, aircraft, or other vehicles. 

Not included in this definition are any costs associated with false 

alarms, regardless of cause.

    (g) Fire service means any organization in any State consisting of 

personnnel, apparatus, and equipment which has as its purpose protecting 

property and maintaining the safety and welfare of the public from the 

dangers of fire, including a private firefighting brigade. The personnel 

of any such organization may be paid employees or unpaid volunteers or 

any combination thereof. The location of any such organization and its 

responsibility for extinguishment and suppression of fires may include, 

but need not be limited to, a State, city, town, borough, parish, 

county, fire district, fire protection district, rural fire district, or 

other special district.

    (h) Mutual aid agreement means any reciprocal agreement whether 

written or oral between a Federal agency and the claimant fire service, 

or its parent jurisdiction, for the purpose of providing fire protection 

for the property of the United States upon which the fire which gave 

rise to the claim occurred and for other property for which the claimant 

normally provides fire protection. Such agreement must be primarily one 

of service rendered for service, or must be entered into under 42 U.S.C. 

1856 through 1856d. Not included are all other agreements and contracts, 

particularly those in which the intent of the parties is that the United 

States pays for fire protection.

    (i) FEMA means the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

    (j) Over and above normal operating expenses means costs, losses and 

expenses which are not ordinarily and necessarily associated with the 

maintenance, administration, and day-to-day operations of a fire service 

and which would not have been incurred absent the fire out of which the 

claim arises.

    (k) Payments to the fire service or its parent jurisdiction, 

including taxes or payments in lieu of taxes, the United States has made 

for the support of fire services on the property in question means any 

Federal monies, or the value of services, including those made available 

through categorical or block grants, contracts, mutual aid agreements, 

taxes, and payments in lieu of taxes which the United States has paid to 

the fire service or its parent jurisdiction for fire protection and 

firefighting services. Such payments will be determined on the basis of 

the term of the arrangement, or if no such term is discernible, on the 

basis of the Federal fiscal year in which the fire occurred.

    (l) Property which is under the jurisdiction of the United States 

means real property and Federal improvements thereon and appurtenances 

thereto in which the United States holds legal fee simple title. This 

excludes Federal leasehold interests. This likewise excludes Federal 

personal property on land in which the United States does not hold fee 

simple title.

    (m) State means any State of the United States of America, the 

District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin 

Islands, Guam, American Samoa, The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and any other 

territory or possession of the United States.