Purpose Statement

The AI Assistant feature streamlines fire report documentation by converting voice recordings into structured incident data. This tool reduces manual data entry time, minimizes documentation errors, and allows firefighters to verbally capture incident details immediately following an event. By automating data extraction and narrative generation, personnel can focus more on emergency operations while maintaining comprehensive, accurate reporting that meets NFIRS/NERIS and organizational standards.

Background Information

Fire service documentation traditionally requires extensive manual data entry across multiple NFIRS/NERIS-compliant fields, often completed hours after an incident when details may be less clear. The AI Assistant transforms this process by allowing personnel to verbally describe incidents in natural language, then automatically extracting structured data for appropriate report fields.

This feature is particularly valuable for complex incidents where multiple data points must be captured, such as structure fires requiring property details, fire origin and cause determination, resource deployment, actions taken, and damage assessment. The AI Assistant recognizes fire service terminology, understands NFIRS/NERIS data relationships, and generates formatted narratives that comply with reporting standards.

Common Use Cases:

• Structure fire documentation with extensive property and cause information
• Multi-unit responses requiring detailed resource tracking
• Incidents with civilian or firefighter casualties
• Complex hazmat or technical rescue operations
• Training officers documenting drill scenarios
• Quality assurance reviews requiring narrative completion

Required Permissions

To use the AI Assistant feature for fire report documentation, users must have the following permissions:

Required:

• Incidents Read, Create, Update
• AI Generation Permission

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Initiate AI Assistant

From within an active Fire Report, select the AI icon to launch the AI Assistant. The AI icon remains visible throughout the documentation process and can be accessed at any time during report completion.
 

Step 2: Begin Voice Recording

When the AI Assistant modal appears, select the Record button and begin speaking. Describe the incident in natural language, including relevant details such as:

• Incident type and location
• Property characteristics and occupancy
• Fire origin, cause, and spread patterns
• Resources deployed and actions taken
• Damage assessment and dollar loss estimates
• Personnel involved and any casualties
• Hazardous materials or special circumstances

Step 3: Manage Your Transcription

During and after recording, you have three primary controls:

Erase Button: Selecting the eraser icon deletes the entire transcription, allowing you to start over completely.

Stop Button: Selecting the Stop button pauses the transcription, enabling you to review what has been captured and make edits before continuing.

Analyze Button: Selecting the Analyze button processes your transcription and generates data extraction for report fields.
 

Step 4: Edit Transcription as Needed

You can edit your transcription at any time by selecting directly in the transcription box. This allows you to:

• Correct misheard words or phrases
• Add forgotten details
• Clarify ambiguous information
• Remove irrelevant content

After making edits, you can either continue recording additional information or proceed to analyze the completed transcription.
 

 

Step 5: Analyze the Transcription

Once satisfied with your transcription content, select the Analyze button. The AI Assistant processes your verbal description and extracts structured data for appropriate fire report fields.
 
 

Step 6: Review Data Extraction

After analysis completes, review all extracted data. The AI Assistant identifies and populates information across multiple report categories:

Data Extraction Categories:

• Incident Type: Classification and NFIRS/NERIS incident type (codes)
• Property Details: Address, property use, construction type, occupancy
• Fire Origin & Cause: Area of origin, cause determination, ignition factors
• Resources Used: Apparatus, personnel count, mutual aid
• Actions Taken: Suppression methods, ventilation, search and rescue
• Damage Assessment: Dollar loss estimates, affected areas, extent of damage
• Personnel Information: Incident command, crew assignments, responding units
• Hazards Present: Utilities involved, structural concerns, environmental factors
• Civilian/FF Casualties: Injuries, fatalities, medical treatment provided

Step 7: Review Auto-Generated Narrative

The Wrap Up section displays an automatically formatted narrative based on your transcription. This narrative follows fire service reporting conventions and incorporates the key details from your voice recording into a coherent incident summary. 

Step 8: Edit Data Extraction (If Needed)

If any extracted data requires correction, select the Edit button to modify information:

Editing Transcription: You can begin recording additional details, type corrections directly, or erase the entire transcription to start fresh. After making changes, select Analyze to re-process and extract updated information.

Editing Data Extraction Fields: Use the individual data fields to make corrections, additions, or select the trashcan icon next to specific entries to delete incorrect information.

Editing Generated Narrative: You can manually edit or remove portions of the auto-generated narrative to ensure accuracy and appropriate tone.
  

Step 9: Save Your Work

After completing all edits to transcription, data extraction fields, and narrative content, select the Save button. This preserves your AI Assistant session data without yet applying it to the fire report.

Step 10: Apply Data to Fire Report

Once all data extraction has been reviewed and confirmed accurate, select the Apply button. This action maps the extracted data to the appropriate fields throughout your Fire Report, populating NFIRS/NERIS-compliant fields with the structured information.
  

Step 11: Complete AI Service Survey

An AI service survey will appear after applying data to your report. Complete and submit this survey to help improve the AI Assistant functionality and provide feedback on your experience.
 

Best Practices

Do:

• Use AI Assistant immediately after incidents when details are fresh and accurate
• Speak in complete sentences describing incident chronology and key observations
• Include specific measurements and quantities (dollar amounts, square footage, personnel counts)
• Use standard fire service terminology that the AI recognizes (NFIRS/NERIS terms, apparatus types, tactics)
• Review all extracted data carefully before applying to the report
• Edit the transcription before analyzing if you notice errors or omissions
• Build narratives across multiple sessions for complex incidents requiring detailed documentation
• Save your work frequently to preserve progress during lengthy documentation sessions
• Leverage the continuous access to AI icon throughout report completion for additional details

Don't:

• Rush through your verbal description – clarity improves data extraction accuracy
• Assume the AI captures everything perfectly – always review extracted data
• Apply data without reviewing – validate all fields match your intended information
• Delete transcriptions prematurely – you can always edit rather than starting over
• Skip the AI service survey – feedback improves the tool for all users
• Forget about appending behavior – understand that each analysis adds to existing narrative
• Rely solely on AI-generated narratives – add department-specific context and observations as needed

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Not checking property details for correct address and occupancy classification
• Accepting damage estimates without verification against actual conditions
• Overlooking missing personnel or resource information in extracted data
• Failing to supplement AI narrative with tactical decisions and incident command considerations
• Skipping transcription review before analysis, leading to compounded errors
• Not utilizing edit functions when initial extraction is incomplete

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Issue: AI icon is not visible in my Fire Report

• Solution: Verify you have Create/Edit permissions for Fire Reports. Contact your system administrator if the icon remains unavailable after confirming permissions.

Issue: Transcription is not capturing my voice accurately

• Solution: Check microphone permissions for your browser/device. Ensure you're in a relatively quiet environment. Speak clearly at normal volume. Try using a headset microphone for better audio quality.

Issue: Data extraction is missing information I mentioned in my recording

• Solution: Review your transcription for accuracy – if the transcription is incorrect, the extraction will be incomplete. Edit the transcription to include missing details, then select Analyze again. You can also manually add data in the extraction fields.

Issue: The AI extracted incorrect information to the wrong fields

• Solution: Use the Edit function to correct individual data extraction fields. Delete incorrect entries using the trashcan icon. Manually populate correct information before applying to the report.

Issue: My narrative is becoming too long with multiple AI sessions

• Solution: Remember that each analysis appends content to existing narrative. You can manually edit the narrative in the Wrap Up section to consolidate information, remove redundancy, or restructure for clarity before applying.

Issue: Some fields are not being populated by AI extraction

• Solution: The AI Assistant focuses on commonly used fields. Specialized or rarely-used fields may require manual entry. Review your complete fire report after applying AI data to ensure all required fields are completed.

Issue: I want to start completely over with my AI session

• Solution: Use the Eraser icon to delete the entire transcription. This allows you to begin a fresh recording without any previous content.

FAQs:

Q: Can I use the AI Assistant for all types of fire reports? 

A: The AI Assistant works best for incident reports requiring narrative and structured data (structure fires, vehicle fires, rescues, hazmat). It may be less useful for simple reports like false alarms or cancelled responses, which have minimal documentation requirements.

Q: How does the AI understand fire service terminology? 

A: The AI Assistant is trained on NFIRS/NERIS standards and common fire service terminology. It recognizes apparatus types, tactical operations, NFIRS/NERIS codes, and industry-standard descriptions. However, highly localized terminology may require transcription editing.

Q: Will the AI Assistant complete my entire fire report? 

A: The AI Assistant significantly reduces documentation time by extracting structured data and generating narratives, but reports still require human review. You should verify all extracted data, complete any unpopulated fields, and ensure the narrative meets your department's standards.

Q: Can multiple personnel use AI Assistant on the same fire report? 

A: Yes, if multiple users have edit permissions for the report. However, be aware that each AI session appends to the existing narrative, so coordinate with other personnel to avoid redundant or conflicting information.

Q: How accurate is the data extraction? 

A: Accuracy depends on transcription clarity and how specifically you describe incident details. Always review extracted data before applying to your report. The AI Assistant is designed to accelerate documentation, not replace professional judgment.