Purpose Statement

The Print or Email Fire Incident Reports feature enables users to generate professional PDF versions of fire incident documentation for printing, downloading, or distributing via email. This functionality streamlines the process of sharing incident data with stakeholders, supporting regulatory compliance reporting, and maintaining permanent records. Users can select between standard and comprehensive report formats, apply information redaction when necessary, and efficiently process single or multiple reports through bulk operations.

Background Information

Fire incident reports serve as the official record of emergency responses and must often be shared with multiple parties including insurance companies, legal representatives, mutual aid partners, regulatory agencies, and department leadership. The ability to generate clean, formatted reports directly from First Due eliminates the need for manual data compilation and ensures consistency across all distributed documentation.

The redaction capability addresses privacy concerns and legal requirements by allowing users to selectively remove sensitive information before distribution. This is particularly valuable when sharing reports with external parties or when HIPAA compliance considerations apply to medical information contained in the incident record.

Required Permissions

Users must have appropriate permissions assigned to print or email fire incident reports:

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Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing the Fire Incident List

1. Navigate to Fire Incident List from the main navigation menu
2. Locate the incident(s) you wish to print or email using the available search and filter options
   

Generating a Single Report

3. Identify the target incident in the list
4. Click the print icon located in the incident row to initiate the report generation process
   

Generating Multiple Reports (Bulk Operations)

5. Use the checkboxes on the left side of each incident row to select multiple incidents
6. Once incidents are selected, the bulk operations toolbar will appear
7. Click the Print button in the bulk operations toolbar
   

Selecting Report Format

8. Choose your desired report type from the available options:
   • Standard Report: Basic incident information with essential dispatch data
   • Full Data Report: Comprehensive documentation including:
     • Detailed dispatch information
     • NFORS data from Command & Safety section
     • Special Study Question responses (configured in NFIRS Setup > Field Management > Custom Questions)
       

Managing the Generated PDF Report

9. The report will display in a PDF viewer with three action options in the top right corner:
   • Expand to Full Screen: Click the arrows icon, access the dropdown menu, and select full screen view
   • Print the Report: Click the printer icon to send the report to your default printer or select a specific printer
   • Download the Report: Click the download icon to save a PDF copy to your local device
     

Emailing the Report

10. To distribute the report via email, locate the address bar in the PDF viewer
11. Type the recipient's email address into the address bar
12. Multiple email addresses can be entered if sending to multiple recipients
    

Applying Information Redaction

13. Access the report options menu to configure redaction settings
14. Select specific information categories to redact from the printed or emailed report:
    • Personal identifiable information (PII)
    • Patient medical information
    • Personnel details
    • Specific data fields as configured
      

Important: Selecting any redaction option will automatically redact both images and attachments from the report

Implementing Report Options

16. After configuring redaction or other report options, click the refresh icon to apply your selections
17. The PDF will regenerate with the updated settings applied
    

Sending the Email

18. Review the report to ensure all settings are correct
19. Click the SEND button to distribute the report to the specified email address(es)
20. A confirmation message will indicate successful delivery
    

Best Practices

Report Format Selection:

• Use Standard Reports for routine distribution to external parties who need basic incident information
• Reserve Full Data Reports for internal analysis, compliance documentation, and situations requiring comprehensive detail
• Consider your audience's need-to-know level when selecting report format
• Establish departmental protocols for which report format should be used in specific distribution scenarios

Bulk Operations Efficiency:

• When preparing monthly or quarterly reporting packages, use bulk operations to generate multiple reports simultaneously
• Create saved filters or views in the Fire Incident List to quickly locate incidents that require routine reporting
• Process bulk reports during off-peak hours to optimize system performance
• Verify all selected incidents are appropriate for the intended distribution before generating bulk reports

Information Security:

• Always apply appropriate redaction when sharing reports with external parties
• Review departmental policies regarding protected health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII) before distribution
• Remember that redaction automatically removes images and attachments, which may contain sensitive information
• Document who receives reports and for what purpose to maintain audit trail compliance

Email Distribution:

• Double-check recipient email addresses before sending to prevent misdirected sensitive information
• Consider using distribution lists for routine reporting to ensure consistency
• Include context in your email body about the report contents and any redactions applied
• Establish naming conventions for downloaded reports to facilitate organization and retrieval

Quality Control:

• Preview reports before printing or emailing to verify completeness and accuracy
• Use the full screen view option to thoroughly review report contents
• Refresh reports after making option changes to ensure updates are reflected
• Download a copy of distributed reports for departmental records

Avoiding Common Mistakes:

• Don't forget to refresh the report after applying redaction options—changes won't appear until refresh is clicked
• Don't assume all necessary information is visible in the PDF viewer without scrolling—always review the complete document
• Don't use Full Data Reports for external distribution without reviewing NFORS content and Special Study Question responses
• Don't bypass established departmental approval processes when distributing reports to external stakeholders

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Report Generation Issues:

Q: The print icon doesn't appear next to certain incidents in my list. A: This typically indicates insufficient permissions to view or generate reports for those specific incidents. Verify that you have "Incidents - View fire incident reports" permission and that the incidents are not restricted based on your assigned user role or station access. Contact your system administrator if you believe you should have access to these incidents.

Q: The bulk operations toolbar won't appear when I select checkboxes. A: Ensure you're clicking directly on the checkbox rather than the incident row itself. If the toolbar still doesn't appear, try refreshing your browser. If issues persist, you may have browser caching problems—clear your cache and cookies, then attempt the operation again.

Q: My Full Data Report is missing NFORS information or Special Study Questions. A: Verify that NFORS data has been documented in the Command & Safety section of the incident report. For Special Study Questions, confirm that questions have been configured in NFIRS Setup > Field Management > Custom Questions and that responses were entered during incident documentation. If configured correctly but still not appearing, check that the incident status is set to Complete.

PDF Viewer and Download Problems:

Q: The PDF viewer shows a blank screen or fails to load the report. A: This is often a browser compatibility issue. Ensure you're using a supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) with JavaScript enabled. Check your browser's popup blocker settings, as they may be preventing the PDF viewer from opening. Try disabling browser extensions temporarily to identify if any are interfering with PDF rendering.

Q: The download icon doesn't work when clicked. A: Check your browser's download settings and confirm you have permission to save files to your default download location. Some organizational security policies restrict downloads—contact your IT department if downloads are consistently blocked. Try using the print-to-PDF function as an alternative method to save the report.

Q: Downloaded reports have poor quality or formatting issues. A: This can occur if the browser zoom level is not set to 100%. Reset your browser zoom, refresh the incident list, and regenerate the report. Ensure you're not using browser print functions to save PDFs—always use the download icon within the First Due PDF viewer.

Email Distribution Challenges:

Q: Emails aren't reaching recipients even though SEND confirmation appears. A: First, verify the email address is entered correctly without spaces or typos. Check the recipient's spam/junk folder, as automated reports from platforms sometimes trigger spam filters. Ensure your organization's email system allows automated messages from First Due. If the recipient still hasn't received the report after several minutes, contact your system administrator to verify email integration settings.

Q: Can I send reports to multiple recipients at once? A: Yes, enter multiple email addresses separated by commas or semicolons in the address bar. Note that some organizations may limit the number of recipients per message for security purposes. For routine distribution to large groups, consider setting up an email distribution list through your organization's email system.

Q: The email arrives but doesn't include the report attachment. A: This can occur if redaction options are improperly configured or if the report is too large for email transmission. Try regenerating the report without redaction to test. Large Full Data Reports with extensive attachments may exceed email size limits—in these cases, use the download function and distribute through alternative file-sharing methods.

Redaction Function Questions:

Q: How do I know exactly what information is being redacted? A: After applying redaction options and clicking refresh, carefully review the regenerated report before sending. Redacted information will appear blacked out or removed. As a general rule, selecting any redaction option automatically removes all images and attachments. Review your department's redaction policy for specific guidance on what should be redacted in different distribution scenarios.

Q: Can I redact only specific fields while keeping others visible? A: Redaction options apply to predefined information categories. For more granular control over what appears in distributed reports, consider generating a Full Data Report for internal use and a Standard Report with redaction for external distribution. If you need custom redaction capabilities, consult with your system administrator about configuring report templates.

Q: After applying redaction, the report still shows sensitive information. A: Remember that you must click the refresh icon after selecting redaction options for changes to take effect. If you've refreshed and information still appears, verify that your redaction selections are appropriate for the type of information you're trying to hide. Some data fields may not be included in standard redaction categories and may require custom configuration.

Permission-Related Issues:

Q: I can view incidents but cannot generate reports. A: The "Incidents - View fire incident reports" permission alone may not be sufficient for report generation. Verify with your administrator that you have appropriate permissions including "Update Incident Reporting" or "Create Incident Report" depending on your role. Some organizations restrict report generation to specific user roles to maintain control over information distribution.

Q: I can print reports but cannot email them. A: This suggests your permission level allows report viewing but not external distribution. Consult with your department's data manager or system administrator about obtaining appropriate email distribution permissions. Some organizations implement this restriction to ensure reports are reviewed before external distribution.