Sponsors (17)
Official title: To amend the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to authorize the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration to cancel or delay certain courses and programs offered by the Academy, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 11, 2025 by April McClain Delaney · Last progress September 11, 2025
The bill improves firefighter training continuity, wildfire preparedness, and financial relief for departments when the Academy cancels courses, at the cost of added notice/oversight that can slow Academy flexibility and leave some small departments uncompensated or administratively burdened.
Firefighters (career and volunteer) and the communities they serve retain access to FEMA National Fire Academy professional training and stronger wildfire preparedness measures, improving skills, local department readiness, and community fire resilience.
Fire departments (especially small local departments) receive reimbursement for travel and backfill costs when the Academy cancels courses, reducing out-of-pocket expenses and financial barriers to attending alternative training.
Local governments, state officials, and Congress gain clearer advance notice and procedural clarity (including 60/45‑day notices and congressional notification requirements) about large-scale course cancellations, improving planning and continuity of training.
Small and rural fire departments may be left uncompensated when cancellations are for 'good cause' (e.g., facility closure, instructor illness, national emergency), forcing them to absorb travel/backfill costs for disruptions beyond their control.
Fire departments—particularly those with limited staff—face administrative burden and potential cash-flow strain because reimbursements require itemized claims submitted within 30 days and may be delayed.
Federal employees at the Academy and program managers could see reduced flexibility and slower operational response because requiring congressional notice before large-scale closures may delay necessary administrative changes.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Sets notice, reimbursement, definitions, and reporting rules when the National Academy cancels courses, and requires a GAO study of large-scale 2025 cancellations.
Clarifies how the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control may cancel courses and requires advance notice, student/agency notification, and reimbursement rules when many courses are cancelled. It sets definitions for “large-scale cancellation actions,” requires FEMA to give Congress and affected students/agencies specific notices and timelines, mandates reimbursements for travel and backfill costs unless cancellations are for limited "good cause," and orders a GAO study of any large-scale cancellations in 2025 with reporting by March 30, 2026.