NERIS Glossary
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This glossary provides definitions for key terms used in the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). Use this reference to better understand NERIS reporting requirements and concepts.
A
Actions and Tactics: The operational activities conducted during emergency responses, classified into functional areas such as Command and Control, Suppression, Search, etc.
Active Assailant: An individual actively engaged in harming or attempting to harm others, often with a weapon, in a confined populated area.
Aid: Assistance provided by or to other agencies during an incident, which can be classified as either given or received.
Accountability: A Command and Control tactic that involves tracking personnel and resources throughout an incident.
Aircraft Transportation: A transportation fire subtype involving aircraft and aviation equipment.
Alarms (Non-Medical): A public service incident type involving fire, gas, or CO alarm activations without medical emergency.
All-Hazards Scope: NERIS capability to document all emergency types, not just fires, extending beyond NFIRS' limitations.
B
Backburn: A fire suppression tactic involving controlled burning to create firebreaks and contain wildland fires.
Building/Structure Collapse: A rescue incident subtype involving the structural failure of a building.
Biological Release/Incident: A hazardous materials subtype involving biological agents or pathogens.
C
CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch): Software used by emergency services to dispatch resources and record incident data that integrates with NERIS.
Casualties: Individuals who are injured, killed, or otherwise affected during an incident. NERIS separately tracks both civilian and firefighter casualties.
Civic Location: The physical address and location information of an incident, including structure type, occupancy classification, and geographic coordinates.
Confinement: A fire suppression tactic focused on limiting fire spread within building compartments or designated areas.
CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing): A flexible gas piping system that may be involved in incidents and is specifically tracked in the Emerging Hazards module.
Chemical DOT Class: Department of Transportation hazard classification of hazardous materials involved in an incident.
Command and Control: A tactical category in NERIS involving incident management structure and command functions.
Carbon Monoxide Release: A hazardous materials incident subtype involving carbon monoxide.
Confined Cooking/Appliance Fire: A structure fire subtype involving fires contained to cooking equipment or appliances.
D
Dispatch: The initial notification and deployment of resources to an incident.
DOT Class: Department of Transportation hazard classification system used to categorize hazardous materials in NERIS reporting.
Dispatch Module: The component of NERIS that handles the initial emergency call information and resource deployment.
Door Initiated Search: A search structure tactic involving systematic room-to-room interior search.
E
Electrification Category: Classification of battery or energy storage systems involved in an incident, tracked in the Emerging Hazards module.
Emerging Hazards: Modern technology hazards including battery systems, photovoltaics, and other alternative energy sources that present unique firefighting challenges.
Evacuation: Movement of civilians to areas of safety during an incident, documented as an action/tactic.
Exposure: Properties or structures threatened by an incident that may require protection or that experience damage as a result of the primary incident.
Emergency Medical Care: A tactical category in NERIS involving patient assessment and treatment procedures.
Extrication/Entrapment: A rescue incident type involving the removal of victims from confined or trapped situations.
Explosion: A special fire subtype involving detonation or rapid pressure release.
F
FDID (Fire Department Identification): Legacy identifier used in NFIRS, replaced by NERIS ID in the new system.
Final Incident Type: The definitive classification of an incident after assessment, which may differ from the initial dispatch type.
Fire Module: A specialized NERIS data collection component that appears for incidents classified as fires.
FireWorks: The EPR Records Management System that implements NERIS for fire department incident documentation.
FSRI (Fire Safety Research Institute): Organization responsible for developing NERIS in partnership with USFA.
Fire Alarm: Detection and notification system for fires, tracked in Risk Reduction module.
Fire Investigation Need: Assessment of whether formal fire investigation is required.
Forcible Entry: A tactical category involving techniques used to gain access to structures or vehicles.
Federal Declared Disaster: A special incident modifier indicating a federally recognized disaster.
Fire Knocked Down: Tactical timestamp indicating when fire intensity has been significantly reduced.
Fire Suppression Appliance: Firefighting equipment used for extinguishment, including nozzles and hose lines.
Firefighter Rescue: Module tracking incidents where firefighters were rescued or assisted during emergency operations.
G
Good Intent: A no emergency incident subtype involving calls made with good intentions but where no emergency was found.
GIS (Geographic Information System): Mapping technology integrated with NERIS for spatial analysis of incident data.
Gas Alarm: Detection system for gas leaks, tracked in the Risk Reduction module.
H
Hazsit (Hazardous Situation): Module within NERIS for documenting hazardous materials incidents, including chemical releases and hazard mitigation.
Hazardous Materials: Incident type involving dangerous substances that pose risk to people, property, or environment.
High Angle Rescue: A rescue subtype involving technical rope operations at significant heights.
Horizontal Ventilation: A ventilation tactic involving the removal of smoke and heat through side openings.
Hospital Destination: Name of the hospital where a patient is transported.
Hazsit Disposition: Outcome of the hazardous materials incident.
Hazsit Evacuated: Number of occupants/businesses evacuated during a hazardous materials incident.
I
Incident Command: The management system established to coordinate emergency response, documented in the Actions and Tactics module.
Incident NERIS ID: Unique identifier assigned to each incident in the NERIS system.
Incident Final Type: Disposition or final incident type as assessed on scene, which may differ from dispatch type.
Incident Internal ID: Department's internal unique identifier for the incident.
Incident Point: Geographic coordinates marking the precise location of the incident.
Incident Special Modifier: Additional classification factors like mass casualty or federal disaster designation.
Incident Actions Taken: Actions taken by fire department on the scene of the incident.
Incident People Present: Documentation of whether people were at the location during the incident.
Incident Displaced Number: Number of people displaced by the incident.
Illness: A medical incident subtype involving non-traumatic medical conditions.
L
Location Use: How a structure or property was being utilized at the time of the incident, including whether it was occupied and used as intended.
Limited/No Access: An outside/outdoor rescue subtype involving difficult-to-reach locations.
Law Enforcement Support: Incident type involving assistance provided to police agencies.
Low Angle Rescue: A rescue subtype involving minimal slope or elevation.
M
Mass Casualty Incident: A special incident modifier indicating an emergency with multiple victims that overwhelms local resources.
Medical Module: A specialized NERIS data collection component that appears for incidents classified as medical emergencies.
Motor Vehicle Collision: A medical incident subtype involving traffic accidents.
Motor Vehicle Extrication: A transportation rescue subtype involving removal of entrapped victims from vehicles.
Mayday: Emergency declaration when a firefighter is in distress, documented in Firefighter Rescue module.
Medical Disposition: Transport outcome of a medical incident (e.g., transported, refused care).
Material Release Fixed Facility: A hazardous materials incident at a stationary location.
Material Release Transport: A hazardous materials incident involving transportation vehicles.
N
NFIRS (National Fire Incident Reporting System): Legacy fire incident reporting system being replaced by NERIS.
NERIS (National Emergency Response Information System): Cloud-based platform developed by the USFA to collect comprehensive emergency response data, replacing NFIRS.
NEMSIS (National Emergency Medical Services Information System): The national database used to store EMS data, which can be linked to NERIS medical incidents.
No Incident Found: A good intent subtype where responding units found no emergency situation.
Non-Structure Search: A tactical category involving search operations in outdoor or non-building environments.
No Action: Tactical category documenting when no action was taken, with reasons such as cancelled or no incident found.
Narrative Impediment: Description of any obstacles that impacted incident operations.
Narrative Outcome: Description of the final disposition of the incident.
O
Occupancy Classification: Categorization of building or property use (e.g., Residential, Commercial, Industrial) used in NERIS location documentation.
Outside Fire: A fire incident subtype involving outdoor combustion.
Outside/Outdoor Rescue: A rescue incident type involving operations in exterior environments.
Outside Fire Acres Burned: Measurement of area affected by wildland fire.
Outside Fire Cause: Determination of causation for vegetation/outdoor fires.
Overdose: A medical injury/trauma subtype involving excessive substance consumption.
P
Parcel: Characteristics of the property at which an incident occurred, including assessed value, year built, and building specifications.
Photovoltaic System: Solar panel technology that may be involved in incidents and is specifically tracked in the Emerging Hazards module.
Patient Assessment: An emergency medical care tactic involving evaluation of ill or injured persons.
Patient Care Report: Reference number for associated NEMSIS documentation.
Patient Evaluation/Care: Status of patient care needs based on evaluation.
Person in Distress: A citizen assist subtype involving civilians needing emergency assistance.
Power Line Down: A hazard non-chemical subtype involving electrical infrastructure failure.
Positive Pressure: A ventilation tactic using mechanical fans to create airflow.
PIO Assigned: A command and control tactic involving public information officer deployment.
Primary Search: Initial rapid search for victims conducted early in an incident.
R
Rescue Module: A specialized NERIS data collection component that appears for incidents involving trapped or endangered persons.
Risk Reduction: Module documenting the presence and performance of safety systems including alarms and automatic suppression.
RMS (Records Management System): Software used by fire departments to document and store incident information.
Rescue Animal: Total number of animals rescued during an incident.
Room and Contents: A structure fire subtype limited to contents within a room without structural involvement.
Rescue Type: Classification of rescue operation (e.g., firefighter rescued, firefighter-assisted evacuation).
Rescue Primary Mode: Method used for primary rescue approach.
RIT Activated: Rapid Intervention Team deployment following a Mayday declaration.
Radioactive Release/Incident: A hazardous materials subtype involving radioactive material.
S
Special Incident Modifier: Additional classification applied to incidents with unique characteristics such as Mass Casualty, Active Assailant, or Declared Disaster.
Structure Fire Cause: Determination of fire origin and cause for building fires.
Suppression: Fire control and extinguishment methodologies, documented as actions/tactics.
Smoke Alarm: Detection device for smoke, tracked in Risk Reduction module.
Smoke Alarm Operation: Whether smoke alarm operated as intended during incident.
Structure/Indoor Rescue: A rescue incident type involving operations within buildings.
Structure Arrival Conditions: Fire conditions observed upon initial arrival at structure fires.
Structure Damage: Rating of damage extent to the fire building.
Structure Floor of Origin: Story above or below ground where fire originated.
Salvage and Overhaul: A tactical category involving property conservation and fire extension prevention.
Search Structure: A tactical category involving interior building search protocols.
Swift Water/River/Ocean: A water rescue subtype involving moving water environments.
State Declared Disaster: A special incident modifier indicating a state-recognized disaster.
T
Tactic Timestamps: Chronological documentation of key operational benchmarks during an incident, such as water on fire, primary search complete, etc.
Transportation Fire: A fire incident type involving vehicles, aircraft, or other transport methods.
Transportation/Land Rescue: A rescue incident type involving land-based transportation accidents.
Train/Rail Collision/Derailment: A transportation rescue subtype involving railroad incidents.
Time Command Established: Timestamp when incident command system was implemented.
Time Water on Fire: Timestamp when water was first applied to fire.
Time Fire Under Control: Timestamp when fire was contained but not yet extinguished.
Time Primary Search Complete: Timestamp when primary search operations finished.
Time Dispatch: Timestamp when a unit was dispatched to the incident.
Time On Scene: Timestamp when a unit arrived at the incident location.
U
Unit Response: Documentation of specific apparatus and personnel responding to an incident, including dispatch times and operational periods.
USFA (U.S. Fire Administration): Federal agency responsible for NERIS implementation nationwide.
USAR/K9: A non-structure search tactic involving Urban Search and Rescue teams with canines.
Unit Staffing: Number of personnel assigned to a responding unit.
Unit Response Mode: Response classification (emergency/non-emergency).
Urban Conflagration: A special incident modifier indicating a major fire affecting multiple city blocks.
Utility Infrastructure Fire: An outside fire subtype involving utility services equipment.
V
Ventilation: A tactical category involving smoke and heat removal operations.
Vegetation/Grass Fire: An outside fire subtype involving natural growth.
Vehicle Fire: A transportation fire subtype involving automobiles, trucks, or buses.
Vertical Ventilation: A ventilation tactic involving the removal of smoke and heat through roof openings.
Violence Against Responder: A special incident modifier indicating responder assault.
W
Weather: Environmental conditions at the time of an incident, including temperature, wind conditions, and precipitation.
Water Rescue: A rescue incident type involving operations in aquatic environments.
Watercraft in Distress: A water rescue subtype involving boats or vessels.
Window Search: A search structure tactic involving assessment via exterior openings.
Wildfire - Wildland: An outside fire subtype involving large non-urban vegetation fires.
Wildfire - Urban Interface: An outside fire subtype involving wildland fires threatening developed areas.
Note: The Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) continues to develop NERIS, which will be fully implemented nationally in January 2026. Terminology and definitions may evolve as the system is finalized.