Through acts such as the National Construction Safety Team Act (NCSTA) and the NIST Organic Act, among others, as well as the President's Climate Action Plan (2013), NIST conducts research and develops guidance and other related tools to promote and enhance the safety and well-being of people in the face of a hazard event. With this in mind, NIST proposes to conduct a number of data collection efforts within the topic areas of disaster and failure studies and community resilience and sustainability, including studies of specific disaster events (e.g., wildfire, urban fire, structure collapse, hurricane, earthquake, tornado, and flood events), assessments of community resilience and sustainability, and evaluations of the usability and utility of NIST guidance or other products. For example, one study may assess user perceptions and applications of the NIST âCommunity Resilience Planning Guide for Buildings and Infrastructure Systemsâ as well as adherence to building and fire codes and standards in community resilience planning. Another example may include the study of disaster impacts to community members due to a large-scale wildfire event. These data collection efforts may be either qualitative or quantitative in nature, or may consist of mixed methods. Additionally, data may be collected via a variety of means, including but not limited to electronic or social media, direct or indirect observation (i.e., in person, video and audio collections), interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups. NIST will limit its inquiries to data collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions or responses. The results of the data collected will be used to decrease negative impacts of disasters on society, and, in turn, increase community resilience within the U.S. communities. Steps will be taken to ensure anonymity of respondents in each activity covered by this request.
The NIST Engineering Laboratory utilizes this clearance to conduct research in support of topic areas of disaster and failure studies, community resilience (including studies of specific disaster events such as wildfire, urban fire, structure collapse, hurricane, earthquake, tornado, and flood events).
This type of research is directly related to a range of disasters which are unpredictable in their number during a given year. Additionally, some disasters may require multiple studies resulting in multiple collections for a given disaster. Therefore, in preparation of the upcoming disaster season, NIST is respectfully requesting to increase the ICR Annual Response allotment from 5,000 to 15,000 Responses; and the ICR Annual Hours allotment from 5,625 to 12,000.
NIST assures that no changes will be made to any the individual information collection requests that have been approved for use.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Justification for non-substantive Change _burden increase.docx
Business/Non-Profit Disruption Survey NIST/NOAA 2019