FLAME Act

Transparency and Oversight: The Administrator must provide Congress with notice 60 days before a large-scale cancellation, including the specific courses, affected departments, and a justification (Section 3(a)(1)(n)(2)).

Advance Notice for Personnel: Students and fire department heads must be informed of cancellations at least 45 days before the intended start date for large-scale actions, or as soon as practicable in emergencies (Section 3(a)(1)(n)(3)).

Financial Protection for Departments: Fire departments can apply for reimbursement of covered expenses, such as travel and backfill expenses (staffing adjustments or overtime), if a course is cancelled (Section 3(a)(1)(p) and Section 3(a)(1)(q)).

Impact Assessment: A GAO study will be conducted to look at the impacts of cancellations on fire department preparedness and the value of the Academy's common approach to emergency response (Section 3(b)(2)).

Loss of Reimbursement for "Good Cause" Cancellations: Fire departments may not be able to receive reimbursement if a course is cancelled for "good cause," which includes things like facility closures, instructor unavailability, or national emergencies (Section 3(a)(1)(p)(2) and Section 3(a)(1)(q)(4)).

Reduced Preparedness: The bill notes that the Academy's programs are used to improve individual skills and local fire department readiness, which could be negatively impacted by cancellations (Section 2(5) and Section 3(b)(2)(A)).