NFIRSPolicy

Sample NFIRS Policy

Issued by

City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii

Subject Category: REPORTS	Index Code H-2.1
Subject Title: National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)	Issued by: Fire Communication Center

Reference (s)

National Fire Information Council Reference Guide

Purpose (s)

Establish requirements for the preparation, submission, and approval of incident reports

POLICY

This policy establishes requirements for the preparation, submission, and approval of reports for incidents to which the Department responds. These reports:

• Create a permanent record of each incident.

• Develop a database for the analysis of the community’s demand for fire and emergency medical services.

• Provide uniform data to the State Program Manager and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) concerning the Department’s emergency response activity.

• Utilize an electronic process to accomplish the preparation, submission, review, and storage of these records.

1. DEFINITIONS

1. Department’s Program Manager: Battalion Chief of the Fire Communication Center (FCC) who is responsible for collecting and submitting NFIRS data to the State Program Manager.

2. State Program Manager: Individual representing the Hawaii State Fire Council as the agency responsible for the NFIRS data in the State of Hawaii.

3. National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS): Developed by the USFA as a means of assessing the nature and scope of the fire problem in the United States.

4. Officer-in-Charge (OIC): The at-scene officer in charge of an incident who is responsible for its overall management. The OIC title applies equally to a company officer or the chief of the Department, depending on the incident.

5. Member Making Report: The Officer-in-Charge or his/her designee shall prepare the incident report. The report will be completed by a member at or above the rank of Captain or one who is acting in that capacity.

6. Significant Incident: Fire incidents involving deaths, extended searches (four or more days), or incidents with dollar losses of $100,000 or greater.

Index Code H-2.2

7. Password: Is stored in each user’s account and is unique to an individual and must be typed when logging on.

8. User ID: Also known as “user name.” Is a unique name identifying a user account.

9. Radio Name: The unique identifier assigned to a fire apparatus.

2. SYSTEM SECURITY

1. In order to access the report writing module, you must create and use a password.

2. You must not share your password with anyone or record it where others may see or access it.

3. You must log off when leaving your terminal or workstation unattended.

4. You may be held responsible for any activity that can be traced to your User ID.

5. INFORMATION RELATING TO THE INCIDENT REPORTS MUST BE USED FOR AUTHORIZED DEPARTMENT PURPOSES ONLY.

3. COMPLETING A REPORT

1. The Department uses the incident reporting system developed by the USFA through the National Fire Information Council.

2. The incident report shall be completed for each incident to which the Department is dispatched, and shall be electronically forwarded through Department channels to the State Program Manager for submission to the USFA.

3. A copy of the instructions for completing an incident report has been provided to each fire station.

4. The report shall be accurate and thorough and contain sufficient information to allow the reader to re-create a given event. The narrative shall include a brief description of the events that occurred and the actions that were taken during the resolution of the incident. The narrative shall be thorough, concise, and accurate. The narrative shall be limited to the facts and not include superfluous or editorial comments. The use of the automatic narrative function is recommended.

5. In the case of an emergency medical or rescue incident, the report shall include observations of the physical and mental condition of each patient treated by the Department.

Index Code H-2.3

6. The FCC shall assign a chronological number for each incident.

7. All required entry fields are colored red and must be filled for report validation. Although this is the minimum requirement, it is recommended that all applicable entry fields be filled.

8. Whenever an incident is investigated by a member of the Fire Prevention Bureau’s Investigation Section, the Fire Investigator should be contacted by the member completing the report to include the appropriate information concerning cause, point of origin, and estimated dollar loss. When applicable, the Fire Investigator may also access the report and add this information.

9. The number and radio names of vehicles and the number of personnel at the scene shall be entered on the incident report.

10. The station number of the administrative area where the incident occurs shall be entered in the “Station” field.

11. Fire layout drawings shall be electronically generated for all working structure fires and attached to the incident report.

12. Reports shall be entered and electronically forwarded by the end of the next work shift of the member making the report.

13. This is a paperless process, therefore, no hard copy of the incident report is necessary.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The OIC or his/her designee shall prepare the incident report. The OIC should be a member at or above the rank of Captain or one who is acting in that capacity.

2. On multi-company incidents, the member completing the incident report shall contact the Company Commanders of other attending companies and obtain appropriate information concerning their at-scene activities. These Company Commanders may also input their company reports at the discretion of the OIC.

3. On significant incidents, the OIC and all working companies shall complete a company report detailing their involvement. Chief Officers at these incidents who are not the OIC shall also complete a company report.

Index Code H-2.4

4. When the OIC delegates the preparation of the incident report, he/she shall complete the OIC portion of the authorization section of the report.

5. A responding Battalion Chief becomes the OIC upon his/her at-scene acceptance of the incident.

6. Only the Member Making Report will be allowed to modify a completed report.

7. The Department’s Program Manager shall compile the completed reports on a monthly basis for submission to the State Program Manager.

8. Support for the incident report process shall be available through identified Battalion/ Shift Computer Team members.

9. Access to the Department’s Program Manager shall be limited to queries by these Computer Team Members.

10. Upon completion of a report on a significant incident, the OIC shall notify the Assistant Chief of Operations by e-mail providing the incident date and number. The Assistant Chief of Operations shall examine these incident reports.

11. The Department’s Program Manager shall conduct monthly audits of non-medical reports for quality assurance and to identify training issues. The random nature and percentage of reports audited shall be at his/her discretion.

12. The Department’s Medical Section shall conduct monthly audits of medical-related reports for quality assurance and to identify training issues. The random nature and percentage of reports audited shall be at their discretion.

NFIRS 5.0 COMPANY TIME STAMPS THAT WILL BE COLLECTED BY FCC

1. Time of alarm

2. Responding

3. At scene

4. Fire incidents: Fire under control

EMS incidents: At patient side

Patient transferred

5. Available

CLEAR TEXT RADIO TERMINOLOGY

Words and Phrases Application

Affirmative Yes

At patient side Personnel has made physical contact with patient

At scene Unit has arrived at the incident

Available Assignment is complete and unit is available to respond to a call

Call by phone Self-explanatory

Copy Message is received and understood

Disregard Cancel last assignment or last instruction

Enroute Proceeding (nonemergency) to a destination

Fire under control Self-explanatory

Loud and clear Self-explanatory

Negative No

Operations normal Used by Air 1 on nonemergency flights to indicate no changes or deviations from original flight plan

Out-of-service Indicates a unit is unavailable to respond to a call

Patient transferred Patient’s care has been passed to a higher level of care

Responding Unit is proceeding on full emergency status to an incident

Say again Repeat last message

Standby Stop transmitting

This is “Control, Engine 1, etc.” Indicates that you are ready to receive a message

Unreadable Radio signal is unclear (e.g., background noise, static)

What is your location? Self-explanatory

NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR NFIRS 5.0 REPORT

1. Acknowledging alarm

2. Fire incidents: Fire extinguished

EMS incidents: Airway inserted

C-spine protocol complete

3. Situation under control and returning to quarters

4. In quarters

5. Method of alarm

6. Maintenance complete time (STILL COLLECTED FOR NIGHT ALARM PREMIUM)

7. Miles traveled