Purpose Statement
The Information section of a fire incident report is used to document property details, fire-scene conditions, cause determination, emerging hazards, involved vehicles and equipment, and consumables used during the incident.
Completing this section supports accurate reporting, fire investigation, regulatory compliance, and department resource tracking.
Background Information
The Information section contains the following subsections:
- Property Details
- Information
- Cause Determination
- Emerging Hazards
- Vehicle
- Equipment
- Consumables
The fields and subsections displayed may change based on the incident type selected in the Response section. The selected incident type may cause additional fields to appear, remain hidden, or become required.
Some property information may automatically populate from an occupancy record in the Pre-Planning module when the incident location matches the address associated with that occupancy.
Required Permissions
Users must have permission to view and edit fire incident reports.
Permission names and access levels may vary by department configuration. Contact a department administrator if a subsection or editing option is unavailable.
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
Complete Property Details
Open the Property Details subsection and complete the fields that apply to the incident.
Review any information automatically populated from the occupancy record and update it when needed.
Complete the Information Subsection
Open the Information subsection and complete the applicable fire-scene information.
Use the Fire Prevention area to document applicable detection, alarm, and suppression information.
Complete the evacuation and chemical information when applicable.
Complete Cause Determination
Open the Cause Determination subsection and complete the applicable fields.
The Fire Investigation section of the Fire Report opens when any of the following causes are selected:
- Intentional
- Unintentional
- Cause under investigation
- Cause undetermined after investigation
Other cause selections may not open the Fire Investigation section.
Add Emerging Hazards
Open the Emerging Hazards subsection and select Add.
Select the applicable emerging hazard and complete the fields that appear.
Repeat this process to document multiple emerging hazards.
Add a Vehicle
Open the Vehicle subsection and select Add, or select an existing vehicle to edit it.
Complete the applicable vehicle information and associate the owner, passengers, and driver/operator.
These individuals are pulled from the People Involved section. Selecting an option to add a person redirects you to that section.
An owner is required to validate the report. When the owner is unknown, enter an explanation in the vehicle notes, such as
Abandoned vehicle.Add Equipment
Open the Equipment subsection and select Add, or select an existing equipment record to edit it.
Complete the applicable equipment information.
Add Inventory/Equipment Utilized
Inventory/Equipment Utilized subsection and select Add.
Select whether the consumable is associated with Inventory or Equipment Utilized.
Select the item, enter the quantity and unit, and then select Save.
Repeat this process for each additional consumable used during the incident.
Best Practices
- Confirm the correct incident type before completing the Information section because it controls which fields appear and which fields are required.
- Review automatically populated property information to confirm it is current and accurate.
- Complete only the fields that apply to the incident.
- Document alarm, detection, and suppression-system performance as accurately as possible.
- Add people to the People Involved section before attempting to associate them with a vehicle.
- Enter a clear vehicle note when the owner cannot be identified.
- Add each emerging hazard, vehicle, equipment record, and consumable separately.
- Use consistent units when entering dimensions, acreage, quantities, and losses.
- Update the cause determination when investigation findings change.
- Review all subsections before validating or authorizing the report.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Why are some fields or subsections not displayed?
The available fields may depend on the incident type selected in the Response section. Confirm that the correct incident type was selected.
Why did property information populate automatically?
The incident address may match an occupancy record in the Pre-Planning module. Available property details may populate from that record.
Why did the Fire Investigation section open?
Certain cause-of-ignition selections may trigger the Fire Investigation section because additional investigation details are required.
Why can’t I find a person when adding a vehicle owner, passenger, or driver?
The person may not have been added to the People Involved section. Add the person there before associating them with the vehicle.
Why won’t the report validate with a vehicle attached?
The vehicle may be missing an owner. Add the known owner or enter an appropriate explanation in the vehicle notes when the owner cannot be identified.
Can I add more than one emerging hazard?
Yes. Select Add for each applicable emerging hazard and complete the corresponding fields.
Why can’t I select a consumable?
The item must be configured by the department and associated with inventory or equipment. Contact an administrator if the expected item is unavailable.
Why can’t I edit a subsection?
Your assigned role may not include the required incident-reporting, inventory, pre-planning, or administrative permissions.