What the Incident Schema Contains
The NERIS Incident Schema is the core per-record data structure that fire and EMS departments submit for every incident response. Unlike the Entity Schema (department-level) and Dispatch Schema (CAD/RMS data), the Incident Schema is completed by officers after every call.
Each incident record includes a core set of fields applicable to all incidents, followed by module-specific fields based on incident type: Fire, EMS, HazMat, or Other. The module determines which Minimum Essential Information fields are required.
Core Incident Fields
All incident records include:
- Incident type and subtype
- Incident location and property use
- Alarm, dispatch, arrival, and clear times
- Units and personnel on scene
- Actions taken
- Casualties (civilian and responder)
- Aid given and received
Module-Specific Fields
After core fields are completed, the officer selects the applicable module. Each module adds its own required fields:
Fire Module
Fire spread, area of origin, ignition cause, detector performance, suppression factors, structures involved
EMS Module
Patient disposition, procedures performed, response type, medical protocols, aid given
HazMat Module
Material identification, container type, release type, actions taken, decontamination, evacuation scope
Other Module
Service call type, assistance rendered, resources used, outcome
How Station Draft Maps to the Incident Schema
Station Draft accepts a short officer narrative and maps it to the NERIS Incident Schema — inferring incident type, selecting the applicable module, and populating fields from the narrative content. Each populated field receives a confidence flag (High, Review, or Missing) indicating how certain the mapping is. Officers review the draft before submission.