nfpa salutes chief ernie mitchell and latest in a distinguished line of leaders. we look forward to working with him. to sum up, nfpa urges you to provide requested funding, its research program, the academy's training program, grants program and infers. all in keeping with an agency that will provide a national focus on fire. thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you and i will be happen p pi to answer your questions. >> i now recognize chief critchley for five minutes. >> good morning. i am chief critchley of the tucson fire department and the president of the western fire chief's associationuation. i am also a member of the international association of fire chiefs. that have taken place since the usf a was created. in 1978, 172 firefighters died in the line of duty. in 2011, we had 83 firefighters. in 1978, we have seen a number of civilian fire deaths also drop over 50% to a little ov ovover 3,000. through fire service training, public education and research. i would like to emphasize the national fire training academy to train more than half a

nfpa salutes chief ernie mitchell and latest in a distinguished line of leaders. we look forward to working with him. to sum up, nfpa urges you to reauthorize the usfa. we urge you to provide requested funding for the usfa, its research program, the academy's training program, grants program and infers. the usfa does great work. they have made a great difference and they can and will do more, all in keeping with the original vision of an agency that will provide a national focus on fire to a federal role. thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you with you on behalf of usfa. and i will be happy to answer your questions. >> i now recognize chief critchley for five minutes. >> good morning, chairman quayle. i am chief critchley of the tucson fire department and the president of the western fire chiefs association. i am also a member of the international association of fire chiefs. i thank the committee for being able to testify for the work the fire administration does for america's fire and emergency medical service. it is important to recognize the

nfpa salutes chief ernie mitchell newly confirmed fire administrator and the latest in the distinguished line of leaders who have headed the usfa. we look forward to working with them. so to sum up, nfpa urges you to reauthorization the usfa. we urge you to provide funding for the training programs, the grants program. the usfa does great work. they have made a great difference and they can and will do more all in keeping with the original vision of an agency that would provide focus on fire through actions appropriate to a federal role. thank you very much for the opportunity to speak be you on behalf of nfpa and like chief mitchell i will be happy to answer your questions. >> thank you, dr. hall. i now recognize the chief for five minutes to present his testimony. >> good morning, chairman quail and ranking member edwards. i am chief crisply. i am also a member of the international association of fire chiefs. i thank the committee for the opportunity to testify about the vital work that the u.s. fire administration does for america's fire and emergency medical service. it is important

nfpa salutes chief ernie mitchell, newly-confirmed fired a morer, and latest in a distinguished line of leaders who have headed the usfa. we look toward to working with him. so to sum up, nfpa urges you to reauthorize the usfa. we urge you to provide requested funding, its research program, the academies' training program and nfers. the usfa does great work, they have made a great difference, and they can and will do more all in keeping with the original vision of an agency that would provide a national focus on fire through effective actions appropriate to a federal role. be thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you on behalf of nfpa, and like chief mitchell, i will be happy to answer your questions. >> thank you, dr. hall. now recognize chief critchley for five minutes to present his testimony. >> good morning, chairman quayle and ranking member edwards. i am chief critchley of the tucson fire department and the president of the western fire chiefs' association. i am also a member of the international association of fire chiefs. i thank the committee for the opportu