NFIRS

The National Fire Incident Reporting System, commonly known as NFIRS, is the United States' primary source of information on fires and other fire-related incidents. It is a voluntary, nationwide data collection system managed by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an agency within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). NFIRS collects data from local fire departments across the country on the details of every incident they respond to, regardless of whether a fire occurred.

The system collects information on a wide range of incident types, including structural fires, vehicle fires, brush fires, false alarms, medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, and more. The data captured includes details about the incident's location, cause, date and time, the type of structure involved, the extent of damage, civilian and firefighter injuries and fatalities, and the resources deployed. Fire departments submit their data electronically through various software packages.

The primary purpose of NFIRS is to provide a comprehensive and standardized dataset that can be used for analysis and research. This analysis helps to identify trends, causes, and consequences of fires and other emergencies. The insights gained from NFIRS data are used to develop improved fire prevention strategies, enhance fire safety codes and standards, inform public education campaigns, and guide resource allocation for fire departments. It plays a crucial role in understanding the nation's fire problem and working towards its reduction.