Introduction to NERIS

Disclaimer

NERIS is currently under development by the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). This guide reflects the system as implemented in EPR FireWorks. Functionality may evolve as NERIS continues development toward full national implementation by January 2026.

About NERIS

The National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) is a new, cloud-based tool created by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) alongside the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology team and the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). It started rolling out in fall 2024 and will be fully up and running by January 2026, taking over from the old National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), which dates back to the 1970s. NERIS is built to keep up with today’s demands, offering an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly setup that lets firefighters and emergency crews submit data in real-time and dig into advanced analytics—not just for fires, but for all kinds of emergencies.

NERIS makes life easier by pulling in information from things like dispatch systems, records management tools, and even wildland fire data, giving everyone from local firefighters to decision-makers a clearer picture of what’s happening. It’s a big step up from NFIRS, which struggled with slow updates and clunky connections to modern tech. With handy features like custom dashboards and a focus on cutting community risks, NERIS helps lighten the load on responders while delivering insights that can make a real difference, meeting a long-standing USFA goal from the 1974 Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act.