Bill Overview
Title: Federal Firefighters Workforce Support Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and employees of defense agencies who provide fire protection services to military installations comply with the National Consensus Standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association. DOD must also ensure the minimum staffing requirement for any firefighting vehicle responding to a structural building emergency at a military installation is not less than four firefighters per vehicle and the minimum requirement for such vehicle responding to an aircraft or airfield incident is not less than three firefighters per vehicle.
Sponsors: Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Target Audience
Population: Firefighters and other personnel involved in fire protection services at military installations
Estimated Size: 8000
- This bill impacts firefighters working at military installations under the Department of Defense.
- There are approximately 1.3 million active duty military members and their families residing on bases globally, potentially benefitting from improved fire protection services.
- The Department of Defense employs civilian firefighters, and they will directly benefit from staffing and safety standard changes.
- Globally, there may be thousands of firefighters working at military bases around the world.
Reasoning
- The Federal Firefighters Workforce Support Act will primarily impact firefighters and other personnel involved in fire protection at military installations. Given the existing approximate of 8,000 firefighters in the US, the policy aims to enhance safety standards and staffing, potentially improving wellbeing due to better job security, enhanced equipment, and measures aligned with consensus standards.
- The policy assumes a gradual implementation aligned with its financial budget. Initial implementation may show minor improvements in wellbeing, but more significant effects should manifest over a decade as infrastructure changes solidify.
- Considering this policy affects a niche workforce (firefighters at military installations), the range of commonness in this population will vary from low to high mainly among this group and not affect the general civilian population. Hence, the impact outside this workforce is considerably small.
Simulated Interviews
Firefighter (Fort Bragg, NC)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is long overdue. We've been understaffed for years, which is dangerous both for us and those we protect.
- It's reassuring to know we'll have more resources to do our jobs safely with proper staffing.
- Ultimately, safety improvements will benefit us and the military personnel we serve.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Firefighter (San Diego, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improving fire protection standards is critical to our roles.
- I'm optimistic this will improve our response times and effectiveness during emergencies.
- A formal upgrade in standards often means there will be more funding for other equipment upgrades as well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Fire Chief (Kadena Air Base, Japan)
Age: 43 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy will bring our staffing levels up to globally recognized standards.
- Proper staffing ensures my team can do their jobs efficiently, preventing overwork and fatigue.
- Job satisfaction should improve among the crew as the changes take effect.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Civilian Firefighter (Ramstein Air Base, Germany)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The standardization of staffing across bases is a huge improvement.
- The policy might mean more secure employment and possibly more opportunities for advancement.
- Enhancing safety standards makes our challenging work more appreciated and comes as an overdue measure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Emergency Services Coordinator (Fort Hood, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Broader consensus standards benefit all emergency services at bases.
- I expect improvements in inter-agency coordination during incidents.
- It's a step in the right direction for overall base safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Fire Protection Specialist (Pentagon, VA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Implementation of national standards will standardize operations across installations.
- As a specialist, aligning with NFPA standards globally is necessary and beneficial.
- Resources dedicated to ensuring compliance shows commitment to safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Firefighter (Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad to see formal standards finally mandated.
- Being adequately staffed makes a big difference in being able to handle shifts effectively.
- This won't change everything overnight but it's a good first step.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Paramedic (Walter Reed Bethesda, MD)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better fire response times will integrate with our EMS operations to form a more cohesive emergency response.
- Our jobs will be indirectly influenced, as I anticipate better collaboration with firefighting teams.
- Seeing investments in safety is always encouraging.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Firefighter Trainee (Barksdale Air Force Base, LA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is promising for someone new like me—it means the foundation we build on is strong.
- Better standards imply that our training will stay relevant and robust.
- Starting with adequate resources makes the challenging work less daunting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired Firefighter (Andrews Air Force Base, MD)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having been a firefighter, I'm aware of how important these changes are for safety.
- Though I'm retired, I consult and these standards show progress.
- Everyone benefits from better staffing across the board.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $31000000 (Low: $21000000, High: $41000000)
Year 3: $32000000 (Low: $22000000, High: $42000000)
Year 5: $34000000 (Low: $24000000, High: $44000000)
Year 10: $38000000 (Low: $28000000, High: $48000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Key Considerations
- Ensuring compliance with the National Fire Protection Association standards can improve firefighting efficiency and safety, potentially reducing the loss of life and property.
- Increased staffing may lead to better preparedness and response times, which could ultimately lower insurance costs for the Department of Defense.
- The need for additional funding could lead to reallocations or increases in defense budget allocations.