Narrative of Changes

Narrative of Changes

The purpose of the Narrative of Changes is to clearly indicate changes to a collection since the previous approval.

Collection Title: Citizen Corps Council Registration

OMB Control No.: 1660-0098

Current Expiration Date: 5/31/2016

Collection Instrument: FEMA Form 008-0-25

The following are the changes to the collection:

The FEMA form number have been changed from FEMA Form 646-0-10ONL to FEMA Form 008-0-25 advised by FEMA Forms Management.

Supporting Statement:

Question 2: Citizen Corps Council Registration website has been updated to a new site: http://www.citizencorps.fema.gov from http://wwwcitzencorp.gov. Additionally, there is now a separate web site for new CERT program registration: http://wwwcitizencops.fema.gov/cc/CertRegWizard.do.

The current registration form was changed since the last OMB approval. FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) did not add any questions, nor change the scope of any of the questions, because doing so would have required OMB approval. However, ICPD did change the front end/landing page of the collection tool to make it easier to understand and to make the user interface more intuitive and user friendly. The previous format proved confusing for users, and required them to click through more screens to get to where they wanted to go. In the updated system, it’s much easier and less time-consuming for users to get to where they need to go, and it streamlines the users’ experience, which ultimately reduces their reporting burden. The resources for download and tutorial videos were removed because they either no longer worked or were no longer relevant.

 

As for the OMB information, while it was removed from the registration form itself, it is still publicly available here:

 

• CERT: https://www.fema.gov/cert-program-registration-information

• Citizen Corps: http://www.ready.gov/citizen-corpscouncil-login/council-registration

 

This information was inadvertently removed from the form because prior to the update, there was an entire website, www.citizencorps.gov, that hosted all the Citizen Corps and CERT content (including the OMB information) and all registration requirements were in a single, integrated site. However, FEMA shut down the www.citizencorps.gov website migrating its content to www.fema.gov or to www.ready.gov. Because of this, the OMB information was included on all those respective webpages. The Citizen Corps registration system still exists, but is no longer part of a larger Citizen Corps website. This is why OMB information was omitted on the form itself, but will be included on the revision.

There are 12 proposed new questions for the current form update. These questions are listed on the Forms Action Request, the Narrative of Changes and are also inserted on the form screen shots. They are not meant to request different information but more to clarify existing information that is requested. Because they merely allow for increased optional responses there is no additional burden to respondents.

Question 3: Updated to correctly revise the webpage to http://www.citizencorps.fema.gov

Question 8a – Updated to reflect FRN publication information.

Question 10 – Updated to reflect current privacy information.

Question 12 – This response has been updated to show changes in Citizen Corps Councils and CERT program number changes as well as the revision for one report instead of two per year.

Chart 12c was updated to reflect an increase in respondents from 3,750 to 3,900, an increase in hourly wage but with overall decrease in cost and time because changes from two to one report per respondent required annually.

Question 14 – Costs to the Federal Government updated.

Itemized Changes in Annual Burden Hours
Data collection Activity/Instrument	Program Change (hours currently on OMB Inventory)	Program Change (New)	Difference	Adjustment (hours currently on OMB Inventory)	Adjustment (New)	Difference
Citizen Corps Council Registration / FEMA Form 008-0-25				7,500	3,900	-3,600
Total(s)				7,500	3,900	-3,600

Explain:

Question 15 – Burden hour decrease explained: There was an increase in the number of Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs since the 2012 OMB approval for this collection as a result of the continued expansion of both programs to new communities throughout the country. Currently there are approximately 3,900 Councils and CERT programs (with an average growth rate of 25 per year for Councils and 200 per year for CERT programs) that will update their information in the Citizen Corps Council registration system. Despite the increase in Citizen Corps CERT programs since 2012, there is a net loss in burden hours because data was previously collected twice annually and now is only collected once annually.

Also, the current registration form was changed since the last OMB approval. FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) did not add any questions, nor change the scope of any of the questions, because doing so would have required OMB approval. However, ICPD did change the front end/landing page of the collection tool to make it easier to understand and to make the user interface more intuitive and user friendly. The previous format proved confusing for users, and required them to click through more screens to get to where they wanted to go. In the updated system, it’s much easier and less time-consuming for users to get to where they need to go, and it streamlines the users’ experience, which ultimately reduces their reporting burden. The resources for download and tutorial videos were removed because they either no longer worked or were no longer relevant.

 

Despite changes in the form between the current time and the previous approval period, no new information had been collected during that period. The current proposed update includes 12 new questions:

1. How many participants graduated CERT training in the past year?

2. Add supplemental options for new CERT supplemental training courses.

3. How many active volunteers are currently rostered by the program?

4. Do any of the program’s instructors have previous or current military experience?

5. How many Campus/Workplace/Teen CERTs are in the program’s jurisdiction?

6. Indicate if CERT program serves a Campus, Teen/High School, Workplace, Tribal, or Regional community.

7. Indicate the number of times your CERT program responded to or supported non-emergency events and activities.

8. How much funding did your CERT program receive over the past year?

9. How much funding did your Citizen Corps program receive over the past year?

10. How many CERT volunteers participated in preparedness, response, and/or recovery activities this year?

11. How many times did your CERT program meet this year?

12. How many teams has your CERT program organized in your jurisdiction?

These questions were inserted into the screen shots in the proposed appropriate locations. They only need to be answered if they apply and are meant to add clarification to responses to improve program ability to assess program needs.