,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #edff ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #bc1 #bjbf,mr4 ,king introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to authorize grants to fire departments to conduct activities with the goals of reducing falls among older adults and reducing response time when responding to in-home emergencies1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,firefighters ,assisting ,seniors ,to ,emergency ,response ,act or the ,,faster ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,according to the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention 7,,cdc71 about #ad1jjj1jjj falls are reported each year nationwide among adults age #fe and over4 7#b7 ,these falls result in #ch1jjj deaths4 7#c7 ,each year1 approximately #c1jjj1jjj older adults are treated in emergency departments for a fall injury4 7#d7 ,falls are the top cause of injury and injury-related deaths for adults over #fe4 7#e7 ,falls among adults aged #fe and above result in over #hj1jjj1jjj1jjj per year in medical expenses4 7#f7 ,more than #ie percent of hip fractures are caused by falling4 7#g7 ,falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries4 7#h7 ,according to the ,national ,institutes of ,health 7,,nih71 over #gj percent of falls occur in the home4 7#i7 ,falls can often be prevented1 including by implementing simple home modifications4 7#aj7 ,fire department personnel can play an important role in preventing and responding to falls4 #c4 ,firefighters assisting seniors to emergency response 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,administrator of ,,fema2 career fire department2 combination fire department2 volunteer fire department ,the terms ,administrator of ,,fema1 career fire department1 combination fire department1 and volunteer fire department have the meanings given such terms in section #cc7;a7 of the ,federal ,fire ,prevention and ,control ,act of #aigd 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bbbi7;a774 7#b7 ,community paramedicine ,the term community paramedicine means the operation of first responders1 including firefighters1 emergency medical technicians 7,e,m,ts71 and paramedics1 in roles that serve to proactively make communities1 homes1 and residents safer and prevent future medical emergencies4 7#c7 ,fall prevention ,the term fall prevention means the use of evidence-based measures that decrease fall risks in older adults4 7#d7 ,fire service2 local ,the terms fire service and local have the meanings given such terms in section #d of the ,federal ,fire ,prevention and ,control ,act of #aigd 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bbjc74 7#e7 ,firefighter ,the term firefighter has the meaning given the term employee in fire protection activities in section #c7y7 of the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bjc7y774 7#f7 ,state ,the term ,state has the meaning given such term in section #b of the ,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb 7#f ,u4,s4,c4 #aja74 7b7 ,fall prevention and home safety grants 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator of ,,fema shall make grants directly to career fire departments1 combination fire departments1 and volunteer fire departments for the purpose of implementing programs to improve home safety and prevent falls for older adults1 including through fall prevention programs4 7#b7 ,period of performance ,a grant under this subsection shall be for a #c-year period4 7#c7 ,consideration ,in awarding a grant under this subsection1 the ,administrator of ,,fema may give preferential consideration to applications that involve non-,federal contributions that exceed the difference between #ajj percent and the maximum percentage allowable ,federal contribution specified in paragraph 7#e7 for a year4 7#d7 ,technical assistance ,the ,administrator of ,,fema may provide technical assistance to ,states1 units of local government1 ,tribal governments1 and other public entities in furtherance of the purposes of this section4 7#e7 ,limitation on costs ,the maximum allowable ,federal contribution to the costs of implementing a program to improve home safety and prevent falls for older adults under a grant under this subsection may not exceed the following3 7,a7 #ge percent in the first year of such grant4 7,b7 #ge percent in the second year of such grant4 7,c7 #ce percent in the third year of such grant4 7#f7 ,administration ,a grant under this subsection shall be awarded on a competitive basis through a neutral peer review process4 7c7 ,applications 7#a7 ,in general ,a career fire department1 a combination fire department1 or a volunteer fire department seeking a grant under subsection 7b7 shall submit an application to the ,administrator of ,,fema4 7#b7 ,form ,an application for a grant under subsection 7b7 shall be submitted to the ,administrator of ,,fema in such form1 and containing such information1 as the ,administrator of ,,fema may prescribe4 7#c7 ,contents ,at a minimum1 each application for a grant under subsection 7b7 shall-- 7,a7 explain the applicant's inability or challenges to implement without ,federal assistance a program to improve home safety and prevent falls for older adults2 and 7,b7 specify long-term plans for continuing such a program following the conclusion of ,federal support provided under this section4 7d7 ,allowable use of funds ,a grant under subsection 7b7 shall be used for any of the following purposes3 7#a7 ,procurement and installation of devices1 including lock boxes1 that can be installed on homes in order to allow emergency responders quicker access to a home in case of an emergency4 7#b7 ,recruitment1 retention1 salaries1 and benefits of community paramedicine personnel1 including firefighters1 paramedics1 ,e,m,ts1 social workers1 case managers1 administrators1 or other professionals for the purpose of implementing programs to improve home safety and prevent falls for older adults4 7#c7 ,installation and replacement of smoke detectors and batteries4 7#d7 ,compilation of health information to permit emergency responders ready access to vital health data in case of an emergency4 7#e7 ,minor home modifications to reduce fall risks1 including the following3 7,a7 ,flattening of rugs4 7,b7 ,removal of tripping hazards4 7,c7 ,installation of hand rails and grab bars1 including supplies1 labor1 and insurance4 7#f7 ,risk assessment and reconciliation of medications4 7#g7 ,referral to classes1 medical professionals1 and other community resources that educate older adults on reducing fall risks4 7e7 ,rules regarding use of funds 7#a7 ,limitation ,funds made available under this section to fire departments may not be used to supplant ,state or local funds1 or1 in the case of ,tribal governments1 funds supplied by the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs1 but shall be used to increase the amount of funds that would1 in the absence of ,federal funds received under this section1 be made available from ,state or local sources1 or in the case of ,tribal governments1 from funds supplied by the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs4 7#b7 ,relating to prior reductions ,no grant under subsection 7b7 shall be awarded to a municipality or other recipient whose annual budget at the time of the application for fire-related programs and emergency response has been reduced below #hj percent of the average funding level in the #c-year period immediately preceding the date of the application for the grant4 7#c7 ,permitted ,funds appropriated by ,congress for the activities of any agency of a ,tribal government or the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs may be used to provide the non-,federal share of the cost of programs or projects funded under this section4 7f7 ,waivers 7#a7 ,in general ,in a case of demonstrated economic hardship of an applicant for a grant under this section1 the ,administrator of ,,fema may-- 7,a7 waive the requirements of subsection 7e77#a72 or 7,b7 waive or reduce the application of subsection 7b77#e7 or 7e77#b74 7#b7 ,guidelines 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator of ,,fema shall establish and publish guidelines for determining what constitutes economic hardship for purposes of paragraph 7#a74 7,b7 ,consultation ,in developing guidelines under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,administrator of ,,fema shall consult with individuals who are-- 7i7 recognized for expertise in emergency medical services provided by fire services1 community paramedicine1 fall prevention1 or the economic affairs of ,state or local governments2 and 7ii7 members of national fire service organizations or national organizations representing the interests of ,state or local governments4 7,c7 ,considerations ,in developing guidelines under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,administrator of ,,fema shall consider1 with respect to relevant communities1 the following3 7i7 ,changes in rates of unemployment from previous years4 7ii7 ,whether the rates of unemployment are currently and have consistently exceeded the annual national average rates of unemployment4 7iii7 ,changes in the percentages of individuals eligible to receive food stamps from previous years4 7iv7 ,such other factors as the ,administrator of ,,fema considers appropriate4 7g7 ,performance evaluation 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator of ,,fema shall establish a performance assessment system1 including quantifiable performance metrics1 to evaluate the extent to which grants awarded under subsection 7b7 are furthering the purposes of this section4 7#b7 ,submission of information ,the ,administrator of ,,fema may require a grant recipient to submit to the ,administrator of ,,fema any information the ,administrator of ,,fema considers reasonably necessary to evaluate the implementation of programs to improve home safety and prevent falls for older adults4 7h7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator of ,,fema shall submit to ,congress a report on the experience with1 and effectiveness of1 grants awarded under subsection 7b7 in meeting the objectives of this section4 ,such report may include any recommendations the ,administrator of ,,fema may have for amendments to this section and related provisions of law4 7i7 ,revocation or suspension of funding ,if the ,administrator of ,,fema determines that a grant recipient under this section is not in substantial compliance with the terms and requirements of a grant awarded under subsection 7b71 the ,administrator of ,,fema may revoke or suspend such grant1 in whole or in part4 7j7 ,access to documents 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator of ,,fema shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any pertinent books1 documents1 papers1 or records of the recipient of a grant under subsection 7b7 and to the pertinent books1 documents1 papers1 or records of ,state and local governments1 persons1 businesses1 and other entities that are involved in programs1 projects1 or activities for which assistance is provided under this section4 7#b7 ,application ,paragraph 7#a7 shall apply with respect to audits and examinations conducted by the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states or by an authorized representative of the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states4 7k7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of carrying out this section1 the following3 7,a7 #a1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf1 #bjbg1 and #bjbh4 7,b7 #b1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbi1 #bjcj1 and #bjca4 7,c7 #d1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjcb1 #bjcc1 and #bjcd4 7,d7 #g1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjce4 7#b7 ,administrative expenses ,of the amounts authorized to be appropriated pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 for a fiscal year1 the ,administrator of ,,fema may use not more than #e percent of such amounts to cover salaries and expenses and other administrative costs incurred by the ,administrator of ,,fema to make grants and provide assistance under this section4 7l7 ,sunset of authorities ,this section shall cease to have force or effect on ,september #cj1 #bjcf4