What Changed
NFIRS — the National Fire Incident Reporting System — was sunset in February 2026 after more than 50 years. NERIS — the National Emergency Response Information System — replaced it as the mandatory federal standard for incident data reporting. There is no rollback to NFIRS.
NERIS uses a different data model, different code sets, different terminology, and requires fields that NFIRS did not. The transition is not a software update — it requires officers to learn new reporting requirements and departments to establish new QA workflows.
Transition Steps
- 1
Confirm your RMS vendor timeline
Most major RMS vendors have released or are releasing NERIS modules. Contact your vendor to confirm the NERIS module is available and what version of the NERIS standard it supports.
- 2
Establish NERIS access for your department
Work with your RMS vendor and state fire marshal office to ensure your department has a NERIS entity record and the credentials needed to submit incident data.
- 3
Audit your incident type mix
Identify which incident types you run most. Structure fires, EMS incidents, and vehicle fires each activate different NERIS modules. Know which modules your officers will use most.
- 4
Map your NFIRS codes to NERIS codes
NERIS uses different code sets than NFIRS. Officers familiar with NFIRS codes need to learn the corresponding NERIS codes — or they will mis-code fields in NERIS even if they know how to report the incident accurately.
- 5
Train officers on NERIS field requirements
NERIS requires fields that NFIRS did not — and defines familiar fields differently. At minimum, officers need to understand area of origin, detector performance, and fire spread for fire incidents, and patient disposition for EMS incidents.
- 6
Establish a QA review process
Designate someone to review submitted NERIS records for completeness and accuracy. MEI gaps catch up with departments during compliance reviews. Early QA catches errors before they accumulate.
- 7
Monitor submission and completeness
NERIS tracks MEI completeness per incident. Departments should regularly review their MEI rates and address recurring gaps in specific fields or incident types.
Important Note
This guide is informational. Station Draft is not affiliated with USFA, FSRI, or any state fire marshal office. NERIS requirements may be updated. For authoritative transition guidance, contact your state fire marshal office and your RMS vendor.