Purpose Statement

The Historical Fire Incident Import tool allows an agency to ingest its historical National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) records into First Due through the user interface.

Importing these records gives authorized users access to historical incident data within First Due without requiring a manual record-by-record entry process.

Background Information

Historical data access must be enabled in Fire Incident Setup before the import tool becomes available. After the setting is enabled and saved, users can select a date range and initiate the import from the Historical Fire Incident Import page.

This process may be useful when:

• An agency is implementing First Due for NERIS incident documentation.
• Historical records need to be available alongside current incident data.

Required Permissions

The user completing this process must have access to:

• Incident Documentation
• Fire Incident Setup
• The ability to modify and save settings on the General tab
• The Historical Fire Incident Import page

Video

Video Title: Ingesting Historical NERIS Records into First Due via the User Interface

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open Fire Incident Setup

From the First Due navigation menu:

1. Select Incident Documentation.
2. Select Fire Incident Setup.
3. Confirm that the General tab is open. 

2. Enable Historical Data Access

On the General tab:

1. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
2. Locate the Enable Historical Data Access setting.
3. Enable the setting.

3. Save the Configuration

Select Save to apply the updated setting.

Wait for the save process to finish before leaving the page.

4. Open the Historical Fire Incident Import Page

After saving the setting:

1. Select the First Due icon to return to the main navigation.
2. Select Incident Documentation.
3. Select Historical Fire Incident Import.

The Historical Fire Incident Import option becomes available after historical data access has been enabled.

5. Select the Historical Record Date Range

On the Historical Fire Incident Import page:

1. Select the beginning date for the records you want to import.
2. Select the ending date for the records you want to import.
3. Review the date range for accuracy.

6. Start the Import

Select Start Import.

First Due will begin processing the historical NERIS records included in the selected date range.

Do not initiate another import for the same date range while the current import is processing.

7. Confirm Import Completion

Monitor the import until First Due indicates that processing is complete.

After the import finishes, the historical NERIS records will be available within First Due.

Best Practices

• Confirm the required date range before starting the import.
• Consider importing records in manageable date ranges when processing a large historical dataset.
• Allow the current import to finish before starting another import.
• Avoid importing the same date range multiple times unless instructed by First Due Support.
• Verify a sample of imported records after the process is complete.
• Confirm that record dates, incident numbers, and other available identifying information appear as expected.
• Perform the import during a period when the responsible administrator can monitor its status.
• Contact First Due Support before repeating an import that ends with an error or appears incomplete.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why is Historical Fire Incident Import not visible under Incident Documentation?

Confirm that Enable Historical Data Access is enabled under Incident Documentation > Fire Incident Setup > General and that the configuration was saved. The user must also have access to the applicable setup and import areas.

Why can’t I enable Historical Data Access?

Your user role may not have permission to modify Fire Incident Setup. Contact your First Due administrator to review your access.

What records will be imported?

The import processes historical NERIS records that fall within the date range selected on the Historical Fire Incident Import page.

How will I know when the import is finished?

First Due displays the import status and indicates when processing is complete.

Should I leave the page while the import is running?

When possible, remain on the page until First Due confirms that the import is complete.

What should I do if the import does not complete?

Document the selected date range and any message displayed on the page. Contact First Due Support before restarting the import.

Can I import the same date range more than once?

Avoid importing duplicate date ranges unless you have confirmed that the earlier import did not complete or First Due Support has directed you to repeat it.

How can I verify that the import was successful?

Review a sample of historical incidents in First Due and compare available details—such as incident dates and incident numbers—with the source records.