Government Shutdown Forces Postponement of U.S. Fire Administrator's Summit on Fire Prevention

EMMITSBURG, MD -- The fourth annual U.S. Fire Administrator's Summit on Fire Prevention and Control has been postponed due to the federal government shutdown.

The one-day event was slated to take place Oct. 7 at the National Fire Academy.

Organizers, the U.S. Fire Administration and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, are working to determine if the session can be held later this year.

With the campus closed, officials said they had no choice but the postpone the event that brings the nation's fire and emergency services personnel together to discuss vital topics.

Attendees are encouraged to check back on the site for updates. 

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)  reported if a grant award is fully funded, the Department of Homeland Security guidance says that awardees may continue to perform the grants. However, they will not be reimbursed until FEMA operations are fully funded.

In a case where the terms of a grant require prior approval or coordination before the grantee proceeds, a furloughed federal employee will not be able to provide the required approval or coordination. The awardees’ work on the grant must cease until the required approvals or coordination take place.

CDC and NIOSH impact

The World Trade Center Health Program will continue to operate using mandatory spending. Some emergency prevention and response programs will continue, but most research will pause. The remainder of the fire service priority offices within NIOSH will be closed. Only about 35% of CDC staff will remain working during the shutdown.

Public Safety Officers' Benefits program (PSOB)

The PSOB program is funded through mandatory spending and should operate during the shutdown. However, the Office of Justice Programs only plans on retaining 41 of 796 staff during the shutdown.

U.S. Forest Service

The Los Angeles Times reported: The Forest Service — the largest federal firefighting entity in the country — will continue its work geared toward responding to and preparing for wildfires, according to the plan. However, the agency will reduce some work related to fire prevention, including prescribed burns and the treatment of vegetation to reduce fire risk.

The closure will impact state grants for forest management and wildland fire preparedness; delay reimbursement for ongoing forest management work on non-federal lands; and may affect states’ ability to train firefighters and acquire necessary equipment, among other impacts, according to a contingency plan obtained by the paper.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection works closely with the Forest Service to manage fire preparation and response. 

Cal Fire officials said it does not anticipate any impacts to its ability to respond to blazes, and that the agency is fully staffed.