U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 551c. Planning for fire protection

(a) Volunteer firefighters

The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior shall annually offer training programs to certify volunteers for suppressing forest fires on National Forest System lands, National Park System lands and Bureau of Land Management public lands in the event that the appropriate Secretary determines that such volunteers are needed. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretaries should utilize existing authorities to train volunteer firefighters for use in fire emergencies. The Secretaries should assess the capabilities of educational institutions and other public and private organizations to provide such training programs.

(b) “Educational institutions” defined

For the purposes of this section, the term “educational institutions” shall include institutions established pursuant to the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq., commonly known as the “Morrill Act”), or the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq., commonly known as the “Second Morrill Act”).

Not later than one year after May 9, 1990—

(1) the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Congress information with respect to regions of the National Forest System, and

(2) the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Congress information with respect to the Bureau of Land Management public lands on a State-by-State basis and each region of the National Park System

that documents mobilization plans that provide for the use of firefighting equipment in cases of fire emergencies that may occur in each such area that may be highly prone to disastrous forest fires.

(d) Presuppression needs

Not later than one year after May 9, 1990, information from the Secretary of Agriculture on presuppression needs for each region of the National Forest System and information from the Secretary of the Interior on the presuppression needs for each region of the National Park System and for each State unit of the Bureau of Land Management shall be submitted to Congress. These reports shall include needs, including an estimate of the funds required, for fire prevention, fuel reduction, training and seasonal fire crews.

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