NERIS fire reporting requirements apply to any fire department submitting incident data to the federal government now that the National Fire Incident Reporting System has retired. Departments must register for a NERIS Entity Identification number, capture each incident using the platform’s structured location and incident-type fields, and transmit that data either through the NERIS web portal or through an API connection from a Computer-Aided Dispatch or Records Management System. NFIRS was accessible only through January 31, 2026; since February 2026, NERIS has been the sole federal fire reporting platform.1U.S. Fire Administration. NFIRS Reporting Guidelines
What Your Department Has to Report
NERIS covers six top-level incident types: fire, medical, hazardous situation, rescue, public service, and no-emergency calls.2NERIS. NERIS User References A single response can be tagged with more than one type, with one designated as the principal incident. A structure fire that becomes a medical call can be characterized as both.
When your department is the primary agency on a structure fire, NERIS requires a specific set of risk reduction fields: whether the building had a smoke alarm, a fire alarm, other alarm systems, and a fire suppression system. Confined cooking appliance fires trigger additional questions about cooking fire suppression.3NERIS. FAQ: NERIS Minimum Data Requirements This data feeds prevention research directly, so accuracy on these fields matters.
Rather than the numeric codes used by NFIRS, NERIS uses plain-language labels common to the fire service. Users pick descriptive fields instead of memorizing code tables.
Location Data
Every incident needs a location object. NERIS uses the National Emergency Number Association’s Civic Location Data Exchange Format (CLDXF), the same structured standard behind Next Generation 911, so addresses parse consistently across regions.4NERIS. FAQ: Data Framework
The individual elements inside the location object are not technically mandatory, and an empty object will pass validation. In practice, submit a meaningful street address along with latitude and longitude coordinates whenever you can. If you leave coordinates out, NERIS geocodes the address automatically, but the result is less accurate than a point captured from dispatch or GPS.4NERIS. FAQ: Data Framework Accurate coordinates let the system overlay incidents with building footprints and infrastructure maps.
Registering Your Department
Every department gets a new NERIS Entity Identification number that replaces the legacy state-level FDID. These IDs are unique nationally, ending the old problem of two departments in different states sharing the same FDID. Issuance of a fire department Entity ID requires approval by the respective state fire marshal.5U.S. Fire Administration. NERIS Data: Frameworks, Uses, Compatibility and Security
Registration is initiated by the department’s authorized official, typically the fire chief, through the USFA portal. The official then designates data administrators who handle day-to-day submissions, and other users are assigned roles that control what they can submit, edit, or view. Set these permissions early to avoid confusion later.
How to Submit Incident Data
Departments send data to NERIS through one of two channels. Which fits depends on department size and the software you already run.
Web Portal Entry
Smaller departments, or any department without integrated software, can log incidents directly through the NERIS web interface. The portal walks users through the required fields for location, incident type, and risk reduction data. A standard browser is all you need. NERIS provides a quick-start video and a step-by-step walkthrough for logging incidents this way.6NERIS. Onboarding Information
CAD and RMS Integration
Larger departments can connect their Computer-Aided Dispatch or Records Management System directly to NERIS through its API. NERIS splits integrations into CAD-type and RMS-type connections, each with its own validation rules.7NERIS. CAD Vendor Connections A CAD connection can push dispatch timestamps, unit responses, and basic location data automatically as calls unfold. RMS connections handle the fuller incident report after the event.
The NERIS Integration Partner Program pulls CAD and RMS vendors into the development process so technical compatibility is built in from the start. For departments, the practical result is automated data exchange with no manual uploads or emailed files.8NERIS. NERIS and Software Partners Are Building a Connected Fire Data Ecosystem
Validation
Every submission passes through validation, whether it came from the portal or an API. The system checks for missing required fields, format issues, and other errors, then generates a report identifying the specific problems. Departments correct the flagged data and resubmit to finish the reporting cycle. CAD submissions carry lighter validation because they capture real-time dispatch data; RMS submissions must meet the full incident reporting standard.7NERIS. CAD Vendor Connections
API Technical Requirements
For departments and vendors building integrations, the NERIS API uses an OpenAPI specification, with documentation available through Swagger UI. Connections require OAuth 2.0 authentication supporting both Authorization Code and Client Credentials flows, and every API call must go through HTTPS.9NERIS. NERIS API Integration Best Practices
A few details trip up vendors early. Every request must include a unique User-Agent header; omit it and the Web Application Firewall can return a 403 Forbidden. The system enforces rate limits, and exceeding them returns HTTP 429, so build in retry logic with exponential backoff rather than aggressive polling. API requests are also subject to geo-IP blocking, so integration servers have to sit inside the United States.9NERIS. NERIS API Integration Best Practices
Why Compliance Matters: AFG Grant Eligibility
Reporting compliance is tied directly to federal funding. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program requires grantees to provide information to the USFA’s fire incident reporting system for the period covered by the grant. Departments that are not participating at the time of award must agree to begin reporting within twelve months and establish reporting capacity before their one-year performance period ends.10eCFR. 44 CFR Part 152 – Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program With NFIRS retired, that obligation now runs through NERIS.
AFG awards are capped at $750,000 in federal grant funds per fiscal year per recipient.10eCFR. 44 CFR Part 152 – Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Losing eligibility because of incomplete reporting hits volunteer and smaller departments hardest, since they often rely on AFG money for essential equipment.
Who Can See Your Department’s Data
NERIS uses group-based security that restricts personally identifiable information to the department that owns the data. One department cannot access another department’s records containing PII. When data is released for trend analysis or public research, it goes out through aggregated exports, API data services, or downloads that strip all PII.5U.S. Fire Administration. NERIS Data: Frameworks, Uses, Compatibility and Security The platform is hosted as a secure, cloud-based system built to meet federal information security standards.11U.S. Fire Administration. About the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS)
Training and Support
NERIS offers a General User Quick Start Video covering first-time sign-in, incident logging, and data access, plus a dedicated walkthrough video for logging incidents from start to submission. A recorded webinar covers regional onboarding, analytics, and the national rollout roadmap. Vendors get a separate Vendor Enrollment Quick Start Guide. All users can reach the NERIS Knowledge Base, User References documentation, an FAQ section, and a Help Desk.6NERIS. Onboarding Information If your department relied on state-level NFIRS training, plan to work through these resources; the data model and submission workflow have changed enough that prior NFIRS experience won’t fully carry over.