Completing an Incident Report - Size Up

Completing an Incident Report - Size Up

Purpose Statement

The Size-up section of the Incident Report captures critical scene details, environmental conditions, and initial assessment information that occurred upon arrival at an incident. This section helps document the conditions first responders encountered, enabling accurate reporting for NFIRS compliance, trend analysis, and after-action reviews. Proper completion of the Size-up section ensures all mandatory scene assessment data is captured before proceeding to operations documentation.

Background Information

The First Due incident report workflow is designed to follow a typical incident's natural progression through five key phases:
  1. Response - Unit times and incident type classification
  2. Size-up - Scene details, environmental conditions, and persons involved
  3. Operations - Actions taken by responding units
  4. Information - Property, vehicle, and equipment details
  5. Wrap Up - Narratives and final documentation
The Size-up section is the second phase in this workflow and focuses on initial scene assessment. This section contains three primary areas: Scene details, Weather conditions, and People Involved. Items marked with an asterisk (*) within the Incident Report are mandatory fields and must be completed before the report can be finalized.
This documentation is particularly important for NFIRS (National Fire Incident Reporting System) compliance, as many fields are NFIRS-driven and directly support required federal reporting standards.

Required Permissions

To complete the Size-up section of an Incident Report, users must have:

  • Incident Documentation Access - Permission to view and edit incident reports
  • Field User Role (minimum) - Ability to create and modify incident documentation
  • Specific permissions may vary based on your department's configuration; contact your system administrator if you cannot access incident reports

Video


Step-by-Step Guide



1. Click on Fire Incident List.


Click on Fire Incident List


2. Navigate to an incident.


Open an Incident



3. Click on Size Up.


Click on Size Up



4. Click on Extent of Fire Involvement on Arrival.
  1. Either click in the box (1) and then scroll through the list or click on the 3 dots and lines (2) and either search or scroll through the list


Click on Extent of Fire Involvement on Arrival



5. Fill out the Scene information and be sure to take note of the required areas. 





6. Toggle on was mechanical unit and/or vehicle if they were involved in ignition or the incident.





7. When mechanical and vehicle toggles have been toggled on the details link will populate to the side.





8. If you click on the link for either vehicle or equipment details it will take you to the information section of the report to document that information. You will have to navigate back to the Size Up section to finish completing that section. 


Click on Information



9. If you toggle on was fire contained to object of origin the Fire Spread will no longer appear. If you do not toggle it on then you will need to fill out Fire Spread.





10. Fill out the needed areas for Item First Ignited, Detectors and Presence of AES. Next fill out the Hazmat Released portion.





11. If you select 0 - Special HazMat actions required or spill >= 55 gal. then more information will be required to be filled out.





12. Fill out the Released From and other areas for the Hazmat Released details. Click on Add for adding information on the chemical or chemicals that were released.





13. When all information has been filled in for the Hazmat then click on Create.





14. Click on edit or delete if changes are needed.


Click on row



15. If your department has set up the download of Weather information, then it will appear in this section, but you are able to make changes. 



Best Practices

Do:

  • Complete the Size-up section immediately after finishing the Response section to maintain workflow continuity
  • Document weather conditions as accurately as possible, as environmental factors can be crucial for incident analysis and legal documentation
  • Use the NFIRS-driven dropdown fields rather than typing custom entries to ensure reporting compliance
  • Enable the HazMat Released indicator for any hazardous material involvement, even if below the 55-gallon threshold, for better tracking

Don't:

  • Skip mandatory fields marked with (*) - the report cannot be finalized without them
  • Guess at weather conditions; use actual measurements or observations when possible
  • Overlook the High Hazard IBC Classification if your department responds to industrial or research facilities
  • Forget to document all persons involved, as this information is critical for NFIRS reporting

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: I can't proceed past the Size-up section. What's wrong?

A: Check that all mandatory fields (marked with *) have been completed. The system will prevent advancement until required data is entered.

Q: The NFIRS Haz Mat module didn't automatically enable even though I indicated a HazMat release. Why?

A: The NFIRS Haz Mat module only automatically enables when the spill volume exceeds 55 gallons. For smaller spills, simply document the release in the HazMat Released field without the additional module.

Q: Where do I get accurate weather information for the incident?

A: Many departments integrate with weather APIs that automatically populate weather data based on incident time and location. If manual entry is required, use weather data from the nearest weather station or reliable weather service for the incident time.

Q: What if the property use doesn't fit any of the NFIRS-driven dropdown options?

A: Select the closest matching option from the dropdown menu. You can provide additional clarification in the narrative section during the Wrap Up phase.

Q: How do I determine if a facility qualifies for High Hazard IBC Classification?

A: Consult your pre-incident planning documentation or contact your Fire Prevention division. This classification typically applies to facilities with significant quantities of hazardous materials or special fabrication/research operations.

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