On November 4, 2024, the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) officially launched, marking a transformative milestone for fire and emergency medical services (EMS) across the United States. Developed through years of collaboration between government agencies, the fire and emergency services, and nonprofit partners, NERIS is designed to provide 27,000 fire and EMS departments with cutting-edge data tools for managing modern and evolving threats, such as lithium-ion battery fires, wildland-urban interface fires, and extreme weather events.
As explained in a news release, NERIS is a cloud-based, secure platform that equips local fire and EMS departments with real-time incident data, enhancing their ability to make critical decisions, optimize resources, and improve overall public safety. With NERIS, departments can capture and analyze data on various hazards and emergency responses in near real-time, providing valuable insights into operational performance and community risk management.
The system was developed through collaboration among the Fire Safety Research Institute, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), and input from the American fire and EMS service. Dr. Steve Kerber, Vice President and Executive Director of the Fire Safety Research Institute, emphasized the platform’s transformative potential:
“NERIS represents a new era for the fire service. It will put actionable data in the hands of our firefighters, giving them the tools to better protect their communities and use resources more effectively,” according to Dr. Steve Kerber, Vice President and Executive Director and FSRI.
NERIS Version 1 was successfully beta-tested by over 60 fire departments, and an additional 105 departments are scheduled for onboarding by the end of 2024. Starting January 2025, the system will undergo a nationwide rollout, ultimately replacing the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) as the primary incident reporting tool for fire and EMS agencies nationwide. NFIRS will remain operational until early 2026 to allow for a seamless transition period.
U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell highlighted NERIS’s long-term impact:
“NERIS is about finally understanding our fire problem and shaping the future of our fire response. By providing our departments with meaningful access to more accurate near real-time data – it will set the foundation for innovations that will transform how we protect our communities for many years to come.”
Some of the key capabilities of NERIS Version 1 include:
- Data-Driven Advocacy: Fire departments can leverage NERIS data to advocate for adequate staffing, equipment, and support, using robust information to illustrate needs.
- Resource Allocation Optimization: NERIS offers insights into the most effective placement of personnel, apparatus, and stations, while providing a clearer understanding of mutual aid and resource dependencies among departments.
- Risk Understanding and Mitigation: The system standardizes risk data at community levels across the nation, allowing departments to track and monitor mitigation actions.
- Performance Evaluation: By analyzing response times, distribution of resources, and overall service efficacy, departments can identify and address performance gaps to continuously improve response readiness.
With its phased implementation plan, NERIS is offered at no cost to fire and EMS departments, reinforcing the federal government’s commitment to empowering local agencies with the data tools they need to meet today’s challenges.