NFIRS CD/on-site Orientation (Training)

National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)

Creating Standard Reports Using the Data Entry Tool

Reference: NFIRS Data Entry/Validation Tool Manual, Section 5.4

• Standard reports are part of the Data Entry/Validation Tool.

• This feature is only available when connected on-line to the National NFIRS Database.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Report Creation

Step #	Description	Example
Open the Data Entry/Validation Tool, Reporting Tools Option
1	Open the Data Entry/Validation Tool (DET).	Open the Data Entry/Validation Tool (DET).
2	Select Tools from the DET menu bar.	Select Tools from the DET menu bar.
3	Select Reporting Tool from the pull-down list. The Reporting Tool has three tabs: Report Header Ad Hoc Filters View Reports The Report Header tab is displayed. NOTE: The Report Header screen options allow the user to select incidents to include in the report by specifying a date range, data version, incident number range, exposure range, and an option to include unreleased incidents. In addition, this option allows the user to select a report template (report format).	Select Reporting Tool from the pull-down list.
Select Options on the REPORT HEADER Screen
4	Report Template Click on the Down arrow on the right side of the Report Template field. The Report Template pull-down list is displayed. Select one of the available report templates from the pull-down list.	Select Tally Report.
5	Report Description Enter a description of the report in the Report Description field.	Type “Civilian Fire Casualties by Incident Type” in the Report Description field.
6	User State Notice that the two-character abbreviation for your State is automatically entered in the User State field.	Your State is displayed.
7	Date Enter a date range in the From and To Date fields.	Enter “01/01/2000” in the From field. Enter “12/31/2000” in the To field.
8	Include Unreleased Incidents? Determine if unreleased incidents will be included in the report. Click on the Include Unreleased Incidents? checkbox to include all unreleased incidents.	Click on the Include Unreleased Incidents? checkbox.
9	Data Version Click on the Down arrow on the right side of the Data Version field. The Data Version pull-down list is displayed. Available versions: All Version 4.1 Version 5.0 Select the version(s) of data to be included in the report from the pull-down list.	Select All from the pull-down list.
10	Exposure This field will be used to determine if exposure incidents will be included in the report. This field is blank by default and is not activated at this time.	Leave this field blank when submitting a report.
11	Incident Number This field will be used to determine if the report will start with a particular incident number. This field is blank by default and is not activated at this time.	Leave this field blank when submitting a report.
12	Available FDIDs The Available FDIDs area displays a hierarchical structure containing all FDIDs for which you are authorized to generate reports. Each level in the chain of command is shown as a folder in this structure. Individual fire departments are shown as firefighter’s helmets. Click on the “+” sign to the left of any folder in the hierarchical structure to display subordinate levels and FDIDs within the organization. Continue opening folders until the appropriate FDID is displayed. Click on the departmental folder or individual FDID that will be included in the report. NOTE: The user must select a folder or FDID in order to create a report.	Select your fire department from the hierarchical structure.
13	Select Coded Field The Select Coded Field area displays a hierarchical structure containing all of the NFIRS modules. Each module is shown as a folder. Data elements within a module are shown as a circle. Click on the “+” sign to the left of any folder in the hierarchical structure to display the contents of the folder. Continue opening folders until the appropriate data element within a module is displayed. Click on the data element that will be the basis of the report. NOTE: This field is available only when using the Tally Report Template and the Top Five Category Template.	Select Incident Type from the Basic module.

Step #	Description	Example
Use an Existing Ad Hoc Filter (OPTIONAL)
14	Click on the Ad Hoc Filters tab. The options on the Ad Hoc Filters screen allow the user to add additional filters to the report. The user can save and reuse filters. NOTE: An ad hoc filter is not required to generate a report.	Click on the Ad Hoc Filters tab.
15	Click on the Down arrow on the right side of the Report Filter field. The Report Filter pull-down list is displayed. Select the report filter to be used in generating the report from the pull-down list. NOTE: These are filters created and saved previously by the current user or other users who have made them available to the group. The report filters can be modified. If no filter or changes are needed, proceed to step 34, Submit the Report.	Do NOT select an existing report filter.
Create a New Ad Hoc Report Filter (Optional)
16	Output Type The Output Type pull-down list allows the user to specify the output file format—either PDF format or raw text. The default setting and recommended format is PDF.	Accept the default Output Type setting (PDF).
17	Create the first new report filter group. Click on the New Group button. Report Filter Part 1 is displayed in the Groups area. Report Filter Part 1 is used to store the filter parameters for the filter you are creating.	Click on the New Group button.
18	Select the filter parameters for Group 1. Click on the appropriate module in the Attributes area. The hierarchical structure displays all data elements in the selected module.	Click on the Basic module. NOTE: You will create a report filter to generate a report that shows Civilian Fire Casualties in Fire Incidents (i.e., that was the name you entered in the Report Description field on the Report Header screen).
19	Scroll down the list of data elements until the data element you want to use is visible. Select the appropriate data element. Report Filter Group 1 is displayed as a folder. The selected data element is displayed under the Group 1 folder in the Groups area. Detail entry fields are displayed in the Attribute Details area of the screen.	Scroll down the list of data elements and select Incident Type.
20	Enter attribute details in the Attribute Details area.	Enter the codes that specify fire incidents. Type “100” in the From field and type “173” in the To field.
21	Select additional data elements for inclusion in the same report filter group. NOTE: All data elements included within a single report filter group folder make up an AND statement (i.e., data included in the report will match all specified data elements included in the group).	Scroll down the list of data elements displayed under the Basic module and select Non Fire Service Injuries.
22	Enter attribute details in the Attribute Details area for each additional data element selected.	Type “1” in the From field to specify one or more injuries. NOTE: You have created a group that will add all non-fire service injuries occurring in fire incidents to your report.
23	Create additional report filter groups with different parameters as needed. NOTE: All data elements included in separate report filter group folders make up an OR statement (i.e., data included in the report will match specified data elements included in one group or another).	You need to add non-fire service fatalities to the report in order to make it cover all casualties.
24	Click on the New Group button. Report Filter Part 2 is displayed in the Groups area. Report Filter Part 2 will contain the additional parameters that can be met instead of the parameters listed in Part 1.	Click on the New Group button.
25	Scroll down the list until the data element you want to use is visible and select it. Report Filter Part 2 is displayed as a folder. The selected data element is displayed under the Group 2 folder in the Groups area. Detail entry fields are displayed in the Attribute Details area of the screen.	Scroll down the list of data elements and select Incident Type. NOTE: Incident Type must be specified again in the second group folder since the filters are applied separately.
26	Enter attribute details in the Attribute Details area.	Enter the codes that specify fire incidents. Type “100” in the From field and type “173” in the To field.
27	Select additional data elements for inclusion in the same report filter group. Detail entry fields are displayed in the Attribute Details area of the screen. NOTE: All data elements included within a single report filter group folder make up an AND statement (i.e., data included in the report will match all specified data elements included in the group).	Scroll down the list of data elements displayed under the Basic module and select Non Fire Service Fatalities.
28	Enter attribute details in the Attribute Details area for each additional data element selected.	Type “1” in the From field to specify one or more fatalities. NOTE: You have created a group that will add all non-fire service fatalities occurring in fire incidents to your report as well as a group that will add all non-fire service injuries occurring in fire incidents to your report.
29	Click on the New Template button to save and name the filter you created. The Create Template pop-up window is displayed.	Click on the New Template button.
30	Template Name Type a descriptive name in the Template Name field.	Type “Civilian Casualties in Fires” in the Template Name field.
31	Visibility Determine if the template you created will be visible to others within your group. Click on the Down arrow on the right side of the Visibility field. The Visibility pull-down list is displayed. Three visibility options are available: User Group Group and Below Select the appropriate visibility option from the pull-down list.	Select User.
32	Allow Others To Modify Template Determine if other users in your group will be able to modify the template. If appropriate, click the checkbox to the left of “Allow others to modify template.”	Do NOT click on the checkbox to the left of “Allow others to modify template.”
33	OK Click the OK button to complete the Create Template process. The Ad Hoc Filters screen is redisplayed. The name of the filter you just created is visible in the Report Filter field.	Click OK.
Submit the Report
34	Click on the Report Header tab. Click on the Submit button. NOTE: You may submit the report from either the Report Header screen or the Ad Hoc Filter screen.	Click on the Report Header tab. Click on the Submit button.
Track Report Status
35	Click on the View Reports tab. The View Reports screen displays the status of submitted jobs and allows the user to retrieve reports.	Click on the View Reports tab.
36	Check the status of the report on the View Reports screen. The View Reports tab contains the following columns: Report Shell: Report type Description: Report name, or User ID if no report name is entered. Queue Time: Date and time that the report was submitted. Status: Current status code of the report. Status codes displayed on the View Reports screen are: Submitted: The report is holding awaiting execution. In Progress: The system is retrieving data for the report. Finished: The report is ready to be retrieved for viewing.	Check the status of the report named “Civilian Fire Casualties by Incident Type.” NOTE: This is the name you entered in the Report Description field on the Report Header screen.
Retrieve the Report
37	Click on a report whose status is Finished. To retrieve the report and copy it to your PC, press Retrieve, name the report, and open it using Adobe Acrobat.	Click on the report named “Civilian Fire Casualties by Incident Type.”
38	Click on the Retrieve button. The Save As pop-up window is displayed.	Click on the Retrieve button.
39	Specify a file name and file location on your PC for the report. NOTE: If you choose a directory other than the default and the folder’s name has a space in it (for example, “NFIRS Reports”), during the retrieval of the report an error message will appear: “There was an error opening this document. The file does not exist.” Click on OK. The report will be displayed. NOTE: A pop-up screen asking you to locate your copy of Adobe Acrobat may be displayed the first time you generate an NFIRS report. The file is opened in PDF format. It can be reviewed, printed, and saved in PDF format.	Accept the default location (NFIRS root directory) and name the file “Civilian Fire Casualties by Incident Type.”

United States Fire Administration

Page 8 of 9