Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110
§2210 Reimbursement for Costs of Firefighting on Federal Property
Title 15 › CHAPTER 49 — FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL › § 2210
Summary
Fire departments that fight a fire on land or buildings controlled by the United States can ask FEMA to pay them back for direct costs and losses. They must send a claim to the FEMA Administrator with whatever proof FEMA requires. FEMA will check what federal support, if any, was already provided; how much extra the department spent beyond normal operations; and how much of those extra costs were not covered. If FEMA finds unpaid costs, it will send its findings to the Treasury. The Treasury will pay up to that amount from U.S. funds, but the federal agency responsible for the property is expected to repay that money from its own appropriations if possible. If there is a disagreement, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims will decide.
Full Legal Text
Title 15, §2210
Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Filing of claims
Each fire service that engages in the fighting of a fire on property which is under the jurisdiction of the United States may file a claim with the Administrator for the amount of direct expenses and direct losses incurred by such fire service as a result of fighting such fire. The claim shall include such supporting information as the Administrator may prescribe.
(b)Determination
Upon receipt of a claim filed under subsection (a) of this section, the Administrator shall determine—
(1)what payments, if any, to the fire service or its parent jurisdiction, including taxes or payments in lieu of taxes, the United States has made for the support of fire services on the property in question;
(2)the extent to which the fire service incurred additional firefighting costs, over and above its normal operating costs, in connection with the fire which is the subject of the claim; and
(3)the amount, if any, of the additional costs referred to in paragraph (2) of this subsection which were not adequately covered by the payments referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(c)Payment
The Administrator of FEMA shall forward the claim and a copy of the Administrator’s determination under subsection (b)(3) of this section to the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury shall, upon receipt of the claim and determination, pay such fire service or its parent jurisdiction, from any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated but subject to reimbursement (from any appropriations which may be available or which may be made available for the purpose) by the Federal department or agency under whose jurisdiction the fire occurred, a sum no greater than the amount determined with respect to the claim under subsection (b)(3) of this section.
(d)Adjudication
In the case of a dispute arising in connection with a claim under this section, the United States Court of Federal Claims shall have jurisdiction to adjudicate the claim and enter judgment accordingly.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2013—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–239 substituted “Administrator of FEMA” for “Director”. 2000—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–503 substituted “Director shall forward” for “Secretary shall forward”. 1992—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–572 substituted “United States Court of Federal Claims” for “United States Claims Court”. 1982—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–164 substituted “United States Claims Court” for “Court of Claims of the United States”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–572 effective Oct. 29, 1992, see section 911 of Pub. L. 102–572, set out as a note under section 171 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Effective Date
of 1982 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–164 effective Oct. 1, 1982, see section 402 of Pub. L. 97–164, set out as a note under section 171 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see section 315(a)(1) of Title 6, Domestic Security. For
Transfer of Functions
, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section 313(1) and section 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Functions of National Fire Prevention and Control Administration [now United States Fire Administration] and National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control generally transferred to Federal Emergency Management Agency. For further details see
Transfer of Functions
note set out under section 2202 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
15 U.S.C. § 2210
Title 15, Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110