NFPA Journal - July/August 2017 - 26

Washington D.C. by Gregory B. Cade

NFPA NEWS FROM
CAPITOL HILL

True Cost
IN THE REGULATION-AVERSE CLIMATE OF TRUMP-ERA WASHINGTON,
NFPA MAKES THE CASE FOR FEDERAL USE OF CODES AND STANDARDS

n often-repeated phrase

burn injury at a burn center is $258,000
in Washington these days
if there are no complications. The treatis "show me the money,"
ment cost with patient complications is
as agencies across gov$340,000. The long-term costs of these
ernment review current
injuries are much higher: $1.6 million
and potential future regulations to see
for burns without complications, and
how they align with President Trump's
$10 million for burns with complications.
aims of deregulation. Overshadowing it
The economic impact increases when you
all is the executive order Trump signed
include lost wages, lost tax revenue, and
in January requiring federal agencies to
other factors. You can begin to see how
repeal at least two existing regulations
the combination of these costs can be used
before enacting any new regulation, and
to explain the enormous implications to
strictly controlling the costs of any new
our nation's economic well-being if safety
The focus on reducing
regulatory action.
regulation is ignored. We can use these
regulation does not
In my view, the Trump Administration's
arguments to encourage the use of up-tofocus on avoiding costly and unnecessary
date building codes and standards that
have to create an
regulations does not have to set up an
will prevent injury and death from fire
adversarial relationship
adversarial relationship between stanincidents to civilians and first responders.
between standards
dards development organizations like
A second area where NFPA can offer
developers and the
NFPA and the federal agencies that use
its expertise is in supporting the numerfederal agencies that
our codes and standards. We must, howous first responder grant programs. With
use our codes and
ever, take the initiative and participate in
Congress's finalization of the 2017 fiscal
standards.
the agency review process to make sure
year budget in May, work on the 2018
they understand the costs and benefits
budget has begun in earnest, and both
of safety regulation. The White House
the Trump Administration and Congress
Office of Management and Budget is
are looking closely at the efficacy of grant
currently creating the all-important
programs. While this particular effort is
guidance documents that federal agencies will use to imple- not new, there is an increased emphasis on ensuring return on
ment Trump's order, meaning the time to engage is now.
investment. Once again, the reports created by NFPA's Research
Because we are in the early stages of this new review and Group can help provide the dollar-value impact. NFPA's "Fourth
cost/benefit process, NFPA has an opportunity to influence the Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service" report has been used
discussion. We need to ensure that the discussion is not solely several times already on Capitol Hill by NFPA and numerous
focused on the costs of regulation implementation, but that other fire service organizations to support the reauthorization
it also recognizes the considerable benefits of regulation. For of grants such as the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, the Fire
example, we know from NFPA's research report, "Fire Loss in Prevention and Safety grant, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire
the United States During 2015," that there were 3,280 deaths, and Emergency Response grant. I'm glad to say that the report
15,700 injuries, and $14.3 billion in losses from fires that year. has shown the positive return of federal dollars spent at the local
On top of that, 24 firefighters died while operating at fires, and level to improve the safety of responders and the community.
29,130 sustained injuries at the scene of these events. How do
We will continue to be bugs in the ears of decision makers to
you measure those costs?
ensure critical safety regulations and programs remain intact.
A recent report by the American Burn Association used data
from 2006 to 2015 to estimate that the average cost to treat a GREGORY B. CADE is division director of government affairs for NFPA.

26 | NFPA JOURNAL * J U L Y /A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

MICHAEL HOEWELER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - July/August 2017