How often should I forward NFIRS data to the Division of Fire Safety? |
| NFIRS files should be sent to the Division of Fire Safety before the 10th of each month, for each preceding month. EXAMPLE: January files should be sent to the Division before the 10th of February. |
| How can I forward NFIRS files to the Division? |
NFIRS files can be copied to a 3½ inch disk and sent to the Division by mail. Send to: Division of Fire Safety, Fire Incident Reporting Section, PO Box 809, Trenton, NJ 08625-0809. The preferred method of sending files is by e-mail.
E-mail files to the NFIRS Unit at nfirs@dca.state.nj.us
Questions regarding NFIRS files or data being sent to the Division can be forwarded to the Supervisor of the Unit Heather Puskar hpuskar@dca.state.nj.us |
| My fire department is not participating in NFIRS or is still reporting by paper. What are the options for upgrading? |
There are a number of vendors that have market NFIRS 5.0 software. Many of these vendors include an NFIRS 5.0 module in a complete Records Management System which enables fire chiefs to manage all aspects of their fire department including training, inspections, equipment and inventory, hydrants and maintenance. Before purchasing NFIRS software, be sure that their program has been certified by the United States Fire Administration. A complete list of approved vendors is available from the FEMA/NFIRS website www.nfirs.fema.gov.
The Division of Fire Safety provides a basic NFIRS 5.0 software to fire departments that may not be able to afford a full records management system. To get information about the software, call the Division at 609 324-7715. |
| My department is using NFIRS 4.1. Why should we upgrade to NFIRS 5.0? |
NFIRS 5.0 is an all-incident reporting system that more precisely and accurately documents the incidents to which fire departments respond. There is better documentation about fires in NFIRS 5.0 including multiple actions taken by the fire department, human factors contributing to the ignition and smoke detector performance. There is also a module to document arson and juvenile set fires.
In addition there is an EMS module, a wildland fire module, a haz/mat module/ and an apparatus/personnel module. |
| The officers in my fire department need training in NFIRS 5.0. How can we get training? |
| Staff from the Division’s NFIRS section provide training to fire departments that request it. Contact the section at 609 324-7715 for additional information. |
| What incidet type code should be used for a mulch fire? |
| Use code "142M, Brush or brush and grass mulch fire" |
| Are narratives important? |
A narrative is very important. It can be used to descrive what happened, fire department operations, or unusual conditions encountered. It also serves as a guide to ensure proper coding of the incident. |
| When a "name field" is a mandatory field and the name is unknown what should be entered in that field? |
There are two ways to complete the "name field" if the name is not known. For example, if no one knows the name of the fire casualty than you can enter "unknown" in the field. If another agency has the name of the fire casualty but will not supply you with the name than enter "unavailable" in the field. Please not: enter a name whenever possible. |
| How often should my incident files be submitted to the state? |
Please submit incident files on a monthly basis, no later than the 10th of the following month, to the NFIRS Unit at nfirs@dca.state.nj.us |
| Is the Division still accepting paper reports? |
NO. We can no longer accept paper reports. Every fire department in New Jersey received a thermal imaging camera (or the monetary value) and signed a contract when they received the camera. Part of the contract states that any department participating in the Thermal Imaging Camera Giveaway "will agree to participate in the NFIRS version 5.0 using an automated reporting sytem". |
