PROTECT Firefighters Act

This bill mandates the United States Fire Administration (USFA) to create a comprehensive strategy aimed at improving the equipment, training, and staffing standards for firefighter Rapid Intervention Teams (RITs). Within one year of enactment, the USFA must submit this strategy to relevant congressional committees. The core objective is to identify current standards, assess access to modern resources, and propose methods to ensure standardization and interoperability among these critical rescue teams. The strategy must delve into specific areas, including an analysis of existing RIT training, equipment quality, and staffing levels across the nation, highlighting any financial or logistical barriers. A significant focus is placed on RITs that respond to fires at maritime and port facilities , evaluating the sufficiency of their resources for various types of vessels, including foreign-flagged ships. Furthermore, the USFA is required to review five years of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Line of Duty Death reports to understand how inadequate RIT resources contribute to firefighter fatalities. Based on these findings, the strategy must provide Congress with concrete recommendations. These recommendations should detail how to expand access to high-quality equipment, safety gear, training, and appropriate staffing levels for all RITs, including those serving maritime environments. The goal is to overcome identified logistical and financial hurdles, enhance standardization, and ultimately reduce firefighter line-of-duty deaths. An 18-month follow-up briefing to Congress is also required.