In the United States, the fire service is in the middle of one of the most significant data and reporting transitions it has ever seen. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), which served as the backbone of national fire incident data collection since the 1970s, is being replaced by the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS).
Since the mid-1970s, fire departments have sent data to the federal government on every response they handle, including fires, EMS calls, rescues, hazardous conditions, service calls, and false alarms. Originally paper-based, these reports capture what happened, where and when it occurred, what resources responded, and the outcomes of the incident. The data being collected supports a wide range of uses, including:
- National fire statistics and research
- Grant eligibility and justification
- Community risk reduction planning
- Policy development at the local, state, and federal levels
Switching from NFIRS to NERIS is not optional. Nationwide, NERIS is officially the mandatory reporting platform for fire departments, just as NFIRS once was. Every fire agency — career, volunteer, and combination — needs to be aware of what this transition means, how it affects daily reporting operations, and what steps must be taken to remain compliant.
Most departments have already been planning, testing, and onboarding with NERIS through their software vendors or state agencies. Still, others may be hearing about the change for the first time. Regardless of where your organization falls on that spectrum, the reality is the same: The switch is underway, and preparation is no longer something to put off for tomorrow. Tomorrow is now.
Key Dates
Understanding how and why this change is happening will help leaders make informed decisions and avoid last-minute disruptions to reporting, compliance, and funding eligibility. First, here are some important dates to keep in mind:
- January 1, 2026: Starting at the beginning of 2026, fire departments have no longer been able to submit NFIRS incident data; all new incident submissions must go through NERIS.
- January 31, 2026: Last day to edit or modify NFIRS incident records for calendar year 2025. After this date, no changes can be made in NFIRS.
- February 2026: NFIRS will be fully decommissioned and unavailable for all users. At this point, access ends and the system will be shut down. The exact date has yet to be determined.
Note that some states (e.g., Texas) specify that NFIRS will no longer function as of late February 2026, with no new incidents accepted after 2025 and the system going offline around February 22, 2026.
What Is (Was) NFIRS?
The National Fire Incident Reporting System, or NFIRS, was the national database used by U.S. fire departments to report information about emergency responses. Administered by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), NFIRS has been the standard for incident reporting for more than 40 years.
As with any similar reporting platform, NFIRS relies on a fixed set of codes, modules, and fields that departments complete after each incident. However, NFIRS was created in an era long before cloud computing, mobile data entry, real-time analytics, or modern cybersecurity requirements. While the system did get updated over the years, the core structure of NFIRS reflects the limitations of the technology available when it was designed.
Those limitations became increasingly apparent as fire service data needs have grown both more complex and more time sensitive.
What Is NERIS?
The National Emergency Response Information System, or NERIS, is the modern replacement for NFIRS. It is a flexible, cloud-based platform designed to support today’s fire service and the demands placed on it.
At its core, NERIS is not just a new reporting form — it is an entirely new system for collecting, managing, and analyzing emergency response data. NERIS is designed to bring together information from multiple sources, including:
- Fire and EMS incident reports
- Computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems
- Department and unit-level data
- External data sources that provide context and analytics
Unlike NFIRS, which focused primarily on after-the-fact reporting, NERIS is built to support near-real-time data submission and analysis. Some key characteristics of NERIS include:
- Cloud-based architecture rather than a legacy desktop system
- Updated data standards designed for analytics and interoperability
- Improved security and access controls
- Support for modern reporting workflows, including mobile data entry
- Greater emphasis on data quality, validation, and consistency
For fire departments, NERIS will typically be accessed through their records management system or reporting software vendor, rather than through a standalone federal application. That means vendor readiness and integration are critical pieces of the transition.
Why the Change?
The move from NFIRS to NERIS is driven by both necessity and opportunity.
First, NFIRS had reached the practical end of its life. Maintaining and securing a legacy system built on decades-old architecture was becoming increasingly difficult and costly. The system’s rigid structure limited the ability to adapt to new types of incidents, evolving service models, and the needs of modern data analytics.
Second, the fire service itself has changed. Today’s departments respond to far more EMS calls than fires. They’re also expected to demonstrate effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability through data. Decision-makers at every level — from company officers to federal agencies — need better, faster, and more actionable information.
NERIS is designed to meet those needs. By modernizing data collection and enabling stronger analytics, NERIS supports:
- More accurate national fire and EMS statistics
- Better insight into emerging risks and trends
- Stronger data to support funding, staffing, and deployment decisions
- Improved research and policy development
Finally, the change reflects broader expectations around cybersecurity, privacy, and data governance. A cloud-based system with modern security controls, NERIS is better suited to protect sensitive information and ensure appropriate access than a legacy platform ever could be.
If You’ve Planned Ahead, You Should Be Fine
If your department has already planned for the transition to NERIS, the next month should be relatively hassle-free. You’ve likely already:
- Confirmed your records management system or reporting vendor supports NERIS
- Reviewed NERIS data schemas and requirements
- Synced up with your state fire marshal or NFIRS coordinator
- Begun training staff on updated reporting concepts
If that sounds like your department, you’re on the right track. While there may still be adjustments and learning curves, you’re probably on your way.
If You Haven’t Prepared, the Time Is Now
If your department hasn’t yet started, the time to act is now.
Waiting until NFIRS is fully decommissioned or until every deadline has passed increases the likelihood of rushed implementations, incomplete training, data quality issues, and compliance gaps. Those gaps can have real consequences, including disruptions to reporting, challenges with grant applications, and added stress on already overextended staff.
Immediate next steps should include:
- Contacting your RMS or reporting software vendor to confirm NERIS readiness and timelines.
- Reaching out to your state NFIRS or fire data coordinator for guidance on rollout schedules.
- Reviewing available NERIS documentation to understand how reporting requirements are changing.
- Checking your agency’s incident reporting policies to ensure they have been updated to reflect the new requirements.
- Identifying internal process changes, training needs, and potential budget impacts.
Tomorrow Is Now
NERIS is not a future concept. It’s the new national reality for fire reporting. Departments that treat the transition as a strategic priority will be better positioned to stay compliant, protect their data, and take advantage of the improved insights modern reporting can provide.
Those that ignore or postpone the transition risk being forced into reactive decisions under even tighter timelines.
The switch from NFIRS to NERIS represents a fundamental shift in how the fire service collects and uses data. With awareness, planning, and timely action, it can also be an opportunity to strengthen reporting practices and better tell the story of the work fire departments do every day.
