The purpose of this article is to guide administrators through configuring the General sub-section settings within Fire Incident Setup. These settings control critical operational parameters including incident retention policies, user timeout durations, display preferences, CAD integration options, NERIS compliance features, and data management. Properly configuring these settings ensures efficient incident management, accurate reporting, and seamless integration with external systems.
Background Information
The General sub-section serves as the foundational configuration hub for all Fire Incident documentation processes within First Due. These settings directly impact how incidents are created, displayed, managed, and submitted throughout your department's workflow. Administrators use this section to establish department-wide standards for incident handling; from the moment an incident is created through automated submission to state reporting systems.
Common use cases include enabling CAD refresh capabilities for field users, configuring occupancy record integration for faster data population, establishing incident retention policies that comply with departmental record-keeping requirements, and managing concurrent access to incident reports.
Required Permissions
Users must have Administrator permissions with access to Fire Incident Setup configuration settings. This typically includes users with System Administrator or Fire Chief roles who have been granted configuration rights within the First Due platform.
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Step-by-Step Guide
1. Navigate to Fire Incident Setup from the main menu.
Select the General section, then click on the General sub-section.
2. Using the dropdown menu, select the Time Measure for how long deleted Fire incidents should be retained before permanent removal.
There are two choices: Days or Hours.
3. Enter the specific number of Days or Hours to retain deleted incidents before they become permanently removed from the system.
4. Set a number (in minutes) that will automatically remove a user from a fire incident report if they remain idle on the screen.
This prevents incidents from being locked by inactive users.
5. Using the dropdown menu, select how the Dispatch Incident Type will display to users when completing reports. This determines the format users see when selecting incident types.
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Important Note:
The button in NERIS Set Up is still labeled "NFIRS", but the Incident Types will be mapped to NERIS types.
Example of Dispatch Incident Type dropdown when completing a report.
6. From the dropdown menu, select a default date range for the Fire Incident List to display.
This controls which incidents appear when users first access the incident list.
7. To enable users to create blank incidents from scratch, toggle on the appropriate setting. This will populate two additional options:
Use Automatic Incident Numbering - Will begin on day one following your incident numbering format.
Leave incident number blank - Will allow for you to enter an incident number each time and will not auto populate the next available number.
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Important Note:
This option will create the +Add New button on the Fire Incident List.
8. If enabled, any device logged in as a unit (rather than an individual user) will have the ability to start or complete incidents from the Fire Incident List Actions column.
9. Enable the CAD Refresh button to allow users to update/refresh their incident data with the most current information from your CAD system.
Example:
10. Enable "Enable CAD Refresh to overwrite existing data?" to control how CAD Refresh handles existing data in the incident report.
When enabled: CAD Refresh will overwrite any existing data in the incident report with updated information from your CAD system, even if users have manually entered or edited fields.
When disabled (unchecked): CAD Refresh will only populate empty fields and will preserve any data that users have already entered or modified.
11. Choose when to use the Wildland Form for Outdoor Fires by selecting one of three options:
Always will always enable the Wildland Form for Outdoor Fires within the incident report.
Never will disable the Wildland Form within the incident report.
Per Incident enables the report writer to choose whether or not to use the Wildland Form within the incident report.
12. Enable Fire Incident Export and configure the following parameters:
IRWIN Submission (Wildland Fire Incidents): Check the box "Do you want to submit to IRWIN?" to enable automatic submission of wildland fire incidents to the Integrated Reporting of Wildland-Fire Information (IRWIN) system
13. Choose whether to populate information into incident reports from Occupancy Records. Information that can be automatically populated includes:
Demographics/Info - Building Status, Property Use, Pre-Incident Property Value
Area - Length, Width, Total Area, Floors above grade, Floors below grade
Construction - Structure Type
Contacts - People involved
14. Make Incident Report Read-Only for Opened IR.
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Important Note:
When enabled, allows users to view incident reports in read-only mode while another user makes edits, maintaining visibility without risking data conflicts.
15. Authorization: Enables the authorization functionality when completing a report based on the Incident type. Select all Incident type that will require Authorization.
16. Always select Save when all configuration changes are complete.
Best Practices
Retention Period Recommendations Set deletion retention periods based on your state's record retention requirements. Use "Days" rather than "Hours" for retention settings unless you have specific short-term testing needs. Consider setting a minimum 30-day retention period for deleted incidents to allow for recovery of accidentally deleted records.
Timeout Configuration
Set idle timeout between 15-30 minutes to balance security with user convenience. Consider longer timeouts (30-45 minutes) for administrative users who may need to reference multiple sources while completing reports. Shorter timeouts (10-15 minutes) are recommended for shared devices or stations with high user turnover. CAD Integration. Enable CAD Refresh for departments with CAD system integration to ensure users always have access to the most current incident information. Train users to refresh CAD data before finalizing reports to capture any updates made by dispatch. Wildland Form Configuration Use "Per Incident" setting for departments that respond to both wildland and structural fires, allowing flexibility for report writers. Use "Always" only if your department primarily responds to wildland incidents. Consult your state fire marshal's office regarding specific wildland reporting requirements.
Occupancy Record Integration
Enable occupancy record population to reduce manual data entry and improve report accuracy. Ensure your occupancy records are current before enabling this feature. Train users to verify auto-populated data before finalizing reports.
IRWIN Submission
Enable IRWIN submission only if your department responds to wildland fires and is required to report to the federal IRWIN system. Ensure your Wildland Form settings are properly configured before enabling IRWIN submission. IRWIN submissions require specific data fields to be completed. Incidents missing required wildland fire data may fail to submit. Contact your state forestry agency or wildland fire coordinator to verify your department's IRWIN reporting requirements. IRWIN submissions occur automatically when incidents are authorized.
Read-Only Access
Enable read-only viewing to improve collaboration when multiple users need to reference the same incident. This feature prevents data conflicts while maintaining transparency across your team. Users can view all incident details while another user makes edits, reducing workflow bottlenecks.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Q: Why can't I see the +Add New button on my Fire Incident List?
A: The +Add New button only appears when you've enabled the "Allow users to create blank incidents from scratch" setting in the General sub-section. Verify this setting is toggled on and that you've saved your configuration.
Q: My CAD Refresh button isn't appearing for field users. What's wrong?
A: Verify that: (1) The CAD Refresh setting is enabled in the General sub-section, (2) Your department has an active CAD integration configured, and (3) Field users have the appropriate permissions to access CAD data.
Q: Deleted incidents are being permanently removed before our retention period expires. Why?
A: Check that you've selected the correct Time Measure (Days vs. Hours). A common mistake is setting "7 Hours" instead of "7 Days" for retention periods.
Q: Should I use automatic incident numbering or leave numbers blank?
A: Use automatic incident numbering if your department follows a consistent, sequential numbering format. Leave numbers blank only if your department uses CAD-assigned incident numbers or has a non-sequential numbering system that requires manual entry.
Q: Why would I enable unit-level access for completing incidents?
A: Unit-level access is useful for apparatus-mounted tablets or station computers where multiple crew members may access the system. This allows any crew member to complete incident reports without needing to log in with individual credentials. However, consider your accountability and audit trail requirements before enabling this feature.
Q: What is IRWIN and do I need to enable it?
A: IRWIN (Integrated Reporting of Wildland-Fire Information) is a federal system for tracking wildland fire incidents across the United States. Enable this feature only if your department responds to wildland fires and your state or federal agency requires IRWIN reporting. Contact your state forestry agency if you're unsure about your reporting requirements.
Q: My wildland fire incidents aren't submitting to IRWIN. What's wrong?
A: Verify that: (1) The "Do you want to submit to IRWIN?" checkbox is enabled, (2) Your Wildland Form is enabled (either "Always" or "Per Incident"), (3) All required wildland fire data fields have been completed in the incident report, and (4) The incident has been properly authorized. IRWIN submissions require more specific data than standard incident reports.
Q: Why can't other users view an incident while I'm editing it?
A: If the "Make Incident Report Read-Only for Opened IR" setting is disabled, the system will lock the entire incident for editing. Enable this setting to allow other users to view incidents in read-only mode while you're actively editing.
Q: Can multiple people edit the same incident at once?
A: No. Only one user can edit an incident at a time to prevent data conflicts. However, if the read-only feature is enabled, multiple users can view the incident simultaneously while one person makes edits.
This controls which incidents appear when users first access the incident list.