42 U.S.C. § 1856b — Emergency assistance

In the absence of any agreement authorized or ratified by section 1856a of this title, each agency head^* is authorized to render emergency assistance in extinguishing fires and in preserving life and property from fire, within the vicinity of any place at which such agency maintains fire-protection facilities, when the rendition of such assistance is determined, under regulations prescribed by the agency head, to be in the best interest of the United States.