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Completing an Incident Report (NERIS): Size Up

Purpose Statement

The Size Up section in a NERIS report is used to document conditions observed at the scene of an incident, including property information, ignition details, equipment or vehicle involvement, wildland-related details, hazmat release information, and weather conditions.

Completing the Size Up section helps ensure the incident report accurately reflects scene conditions and supports complete incident documentation.

Background Information

The Size Up section contains two primary subsections:

  1. Scene
  2. Weather

Some fields in the Scene section may already be populated if the incident location is tied to an occupancy. Occupancy-related information, such as property type, additional property type, or mixed property use, may pull into the report automatically. Users can still review and update these fields if needed.

Required Permissions

Permissions may vary by agency configuration. Users typically need permission to:

  • View NERIS reports
  • Create or edit NERIS reports
  • Update Size Up, Scene, Weather, Information, equipment, or vehicle details within a NERIS report

Confirm the exact permission names in Admin > Users & Roles or with your agency administrator before assigning access.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide
 

1. Open the Size Up Section

  1. Navigate to the appropriate incident report.
  2. Open the report.
  3. Select the Size Up section.
  4. Review the two available subsections:
    • Scene
    • Weather


2. Complete the Scene Section

Use the Scene section to document property details, ignition information, fire spread details, wildland-related information, and hazmat release details.

  1. Review the property information fields:
    • Property Type Where the Incident Occurred
    • Additional Property Type at Location
    • Mixed Property Use
  2. If the incident location is associated with an occupancy, review any pre-filled occupancy data for accuracy.
  3. Update any property information if needed.
  4. To search for a value in a dropdown field, begin typing in the field to narrow the available list.
  5. Select the appropriate option from the list.
  6. Use the three-dot icon, when available, to open the selection list on the right side of the screen.
  7. Toggle High Hazard IBC Classifications on, if applicable.
  8. Hover over any information icons to review additional field guidance.
  9. Select the applicable Heat Source from the dropdown.
     

3. Document Equipment or Vehicle Involvement

[Insert Equipment or Vehicle Involved image here]

Use the equipment and vehicle involvement fields to indicate whether equipment or a vehicle was involved in the ignition.

  1. Locate Was equipment involved in this ignition?
  2. Toggle the field to Yes or No.
  3. Locate the vehicle incident field.
  4. Toggle the field to Yes or No, as applicable.
  5. If equipment or vehicle details populate, select the related option to continue documenting those details.
  6. The system will move the user from the Size Up section to the Information section.

If you toggle on either Equipment or Vehicle for involvement then the Details link appears. If you click on these links, it will take you to the Information section so more information can be documented

  1. Complete the applicable equipment or vehicle details in the Information section.

 

4. Complete Fire Origin and Fire Spread Details

  1. Locate Was fire confined to the object of origin?
  2. Toggle the field on if the fire was confined to the object of origin.
  3. When this toggle is turned on, the fire spread field is removed because it no longer applies.
  4. Complete the applicable ignition and spread fields:
    • Item First Ignited
    • Type of Material First Ignited
    • Was Fire Spread


5. Complete Wildland-Related Fields, If Applicable

Some additional fields may appear based on the incident type selected earlier in the report. In the transcript example, wildland-related questions appeared because of the selected incident type.

  1. Review any additional wildland-related questions that populate.
  2. Complete the applicable fields, which may include:
    • Whether a vehicle of any type was involved in the incident
    • Type of nearest roadway
    • Distance from nearest roadway
    • Elevation in feet
    • Relative slope
    • Aspect
    • Flame length
    • Change per hour
  3. Use plus and minus controls where available to increase or decrease numeric values.
  4. Use dropdown fields where available to select the appropriate response.


6. Complete Hazmat Release Information, If Applicable

  1. Locate the hazmat release field within the Scene section.
  2. Select the applicable hazmat release option.
  3. If Special hazmat actions required or Spill greater than 55 gallons is selected, additional questions appear.
  4. Complete the additional hazmat release fields, as applicable:
    • Where the release came from
    • Whether equipment or a vehicle was involved in the release
    • Affected areas
    • Units associated with the release
       

7. Complete the Weather Section

Use the Weather section to document weather conditions at the time of the incident.

  1. Scroll to or select the Weather subsection.
  2. Review any weather information that populated automatically.
  3. If your agency uses the weather API source, the system may pull weather data from the closest available source at the time of the incident.
  4. If weather data does not populate automatically, or if it needs to be adjusted, update the weather fields manually.
  5. Complete or review the following weather details:
    • Weather type
    • Temperature
    • Humidity
    • Cloudiness
    • Pressure
    • Visibility
    • Rain
    • Snow
    • Wind speed
    • Wind direction
    • Wind gust

8. Review the Size Up Section

  1. Confirm that all required fields are complete.
  2. Review any pre-filled occupancy information for accuracy.
  3. Verify that equipment or vehicle involvement was documented correctly.
  4. Confirm that any incident-specific wildland or hazmat fields are completed, if applicable.
  5. Review weather details for accuracy.
  6. Continue to the next section of the incident report.

Best Practices

  • Review pre-filled occupancy data before moving forward.
  • Use the search function in dropdown fields to quickly locate the correct option.
  • Use the three-dot icon when available to expand the list view on the right side of the screen.
  • Hover over information icons to review field-specific guidance.
  • Only mark equipment or vehicle involvement when it applies to the incident.
  • Remember that selecting equipment or vehicle details may move the user to the Information section.
  • Confirm whether fire was confined to the object of origin before completing fire spread details.
  • Complete wildland-related fields when they appear based on the selected incident type.
  • Select the appropriate hazmat release option carefully, as certain selections generate additional required fields.
  • Review weather API data before submitting the report and update manually when needed.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why are some property fields already filled out?

Property fields may auto-populate when the selected incident location is associated with an occupancy. Review the populated data and update it if needed.

Can I change auto-populated occupancy information?

Yes. Users can select and adjust the available property-related fields if the information needs to be updated.

How do I search long dropdown lists?

Begin typing in the field to narrow the list. You can also use the three-dot icon, when available, to open the selection list on the right side of the screen.

Why did the system move me to the Information section?

If equipment or vehicle involvement is selected, the system may move the user to the Information section to complete the related equipment or vehicle details.

Why did the fire spread field disappear?

If Was fire confined to the object of origin? is turned on, the fire spread field is removed because fire spread no longer applies.

Why are wildland questions showing in the Size Up section?

Wildland-related questions may appear based on the incident type selected in the report.

Why did additional hazmat questions appear?

Additional hazmat questions appear when certain hazmat release options are selected, such as special hazmat actions required or a spill greater than 55 gallons.

Can weather information be entered manually?

Yes. If weather data does not populate automatically or needs to be corrected, users can manually update the weather fields.