What is NERIS?
NERIS — the National Emergency Response Information System — is the new federal incident reporting platform replacing NFIRS in 2026. Here's what it is, the cutover timeline, and how PID fits in.
The Modernized Federal Fire Data System
NERIS is a cloud-based, API-driven incident reporting platform built by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) in partnership with the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes. It replaces NFIRS — the system the fire service has been using since the 1970s — with real-time validation, structured data, and modern integrations with weather, GIS, and property data sources.
NERIS supports first responders at every level: enhancing preparedness, improving resource allocation, and strengthening coordination for all-hazards incidents. Where NFIRS captured a single incident type per call, NERIS supports up to three. Where NFIRS relied on FDIDs that had historical duplicate-identifier problems, NERIS introduces clean unique identifiers for every department, station, and unit.
Most importantly for fire departments: NERIS reporting is mandatory starting January 1, 2026. NFIRS no longer accepts 2026 incidents.
The NFIRS to NERIS Timeline
The federal cutover is staged across early 2026. These are the dates every chief should have on the calendar.
NFIRS vs NERIS at a Glance
A side-by-side look at what's changing under the hood.
PID Reads Incident Data from NERIS
For enrolled departments, PID pulls the official NERIS incident record straight into the debrief workspace — so your crew is reviewing the same facts that went into the federal record.
Link the Incident
Start a new debrief and pick the matching NERIS incident from a searchable list of recent calls — last 30, 60, or 90 days. PID stores only the link; we never copy your federal record into our database.
Review the Reference
A dedicated NERIS reference view shows the live record at debrief time: timestamps, units, dispatch timeline, narratives, tactics, hazmat, and medical. Copy buttons let the crew pull facts into the debrief without auto-filling fields.
Read-Only by Design
PID does not write to NERIS. Your RMS still owns the official submission. PID is the post-incident workspace built on top of the record your RMS already produced.
Where PID Fits Alongside Your RMS
PID is a complement to your existing records management system — not a replacement.
Your CAD feeds your RMS. Your RMS writes the official incident to NERIS. PID reads it back so your crew can debrief against the same facts that went on the federal record. Keep whatever RMS you already use — PID sits alongside.
Common Questions
No. PID complements your existing RMS. Your RMS still owns the official record and the federal submission to NERIS. PID reads incident data from NERIS so your debrief starts with the same facts your federal record shows.
No. PID is read-only. Your RMS submits the official record to NERIS. PID reads incident data from NERIS to populate the reference view your crew sees during a debrief.
PID still works. The full debrief, scene mapping, incident timeline, peer support, and reporting features are all available without NERIS. The NERIS reference view shows as disabled in the app until your department is enrolled — so it's discoverable for when you're ready.
Yes. PID sits alongside whatever RMS you already use. As long as your RMS reports incidents to NERIS, PID can read those records into the debrief workspace. You keep your existing RMS for the official submission; you use PID for the post-incident review.
PID fetches incident data from NERIS on demand at debrief time — there's no syncing, caching, or duplicate database. Whatever your RMS has submitted to NERIS is what PID shows you.
Once your department is enrolled in NERIS, an admin signs into the NERIS portal and authorizes PID. That's it — there's nothing to install. PID then has read access to your department's incident records through NERIS.
Official NERIS Resources
For program details, enrollment, and the latest from USFA and FSRI.
Want to See PID
in Action?
See how PID layers post-incident debriefing on top of the record your RMS already sends to NERIS.
NERIS is a program of the U.S. Fire Administration and the Fire Safety Research Institute. Fire Dog Technologies is an independent software vendor and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by USFA, FSRI, or UL Research Institutes. PID reads incident data from NERIS on behalf of authorized departments.