Purpose Statement

This guide enables administrators to successfully transition their department's fire incident reporting system from NFIRS (National Fire Incident Reporting System) to NERIS (National Emergency Response Information System). This migration ensures your department remains compliant with the latest federal reporting standards while maintaining data integrity throughout the transition process. The systematic approach outlined here minimizes disruption to ongoing incident documentation and prevents data loss during the switchover.

Background Information

NERIS represents the next generation of national fire incident reporting, replacing the legacy NFIRS system. This transition requires careful preparation to ensure all location data, apparatus assignments, and existing incident reports are properly configured before activation.

Suggested Prerequisites Prior to Beginning Transition:

• Active First Due account with administrator permissions
• Enrollment in NERIS website, Associate First Due as your Third Party NERIS Vendor using this Client ID for First Due: 4dc47291-f9bb-4e4b-950c-9fe32100cd87
  
• Valid NERIS Entity ID (obtained through NERIS registration)
  
• All Locations must have unique, valid addresses
  
• Verify Location List Configuration (Station)
  1. Navigate to either the Assets module or Admin module
  2. Select Location List
  3. Review all locations to ensure each has a valid address associated
     • Critical: No duplicate addresses are permitted - If you have duplicates, adding info to Address Line 2 will make address unique
     • Invalid or missing addresses will cause migration errors - Missing Zip Code is a critical error to resolve
• All apparatus in Apparatus List must be assigned to Locations, have a NERIS Apparatus Type along with a Normal Staffing Level.
  
•  Configure Apparatus Assignments
  1. Navigate to either the Assets module or Admin module
  2. Select Apparatus List
  3. Verify the following fields are documented in each apparatus:
     
  1. Location
     
  2. NERIS Apparatus Type
  3. Normal Staffing Levels (found in Specifications tab)
     
• Understanding that this transition is permanent and irreversible

Important Considerations:

• Any incomplete or pending authorization NFIRS reports will reset to "not started" status after migration
• It is strongly recommended to complete and authorize all existing NFIRS reports before switching
  
• Export your NFIRS records for the timeframe needed (if applicable or necessary) from the Incident List prior to switching
  
• The migration includes a readiness check to identify potential issues before activation
• Third-party vendor integration setup is required for automatic report submission to NERIS
  
• The switch to NERIS is permanent and cannot be undone

Required Permissions

To complete the NFIRS to NERIS migration, administrators need:

• Fire Incident Module - Full administrative access
• Assets Module - Edit permissions for Locations and Apparatus
• Admin Module - Access to Location List and Apparatus List configuration
• System Settings - Permission to modify Fire Incident Setup configurations

Note: Only users with full administrative rights should perform this migration due to its permanent nature.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Please review the steps listed above in Prerequisites to help avoid any error messages

Step 1: Access Fire Incident Setup

1. Navigate to the Incident Documentation module
2. Select Fire Incident Setup
3. Click on NERIS to begin the migration process
4. Follow the setup steps in sequential order
   

Step 2: Complete Getting Started

1. Select Start within the Getting Started section
2. A modal will display NERIS Migration Setup with 3 required steps:
   
3. Step A: Transition Guide
   
   • Click the provided link to access the NERIS Transition Guide
   • Complete all items on the checklist
   • Select Done when finished
   • Confirmation: Green checkmark with "Completed" status will appear
   Step B: NERIS ID Setup
   • This requires your NERIS Entity ID (obtained through NERIS website registration)
   • Click the link for assistance obtaining your NERIS ID
   • Enter your NERIS ID
   • Select Done
     
   • Confirmation: Green checkmark with "Completed" status will appear
   Step C: Access NERIS
   • Click the link to access the official NERIS sign-in page
   • Verify you can successfully log in
   • Select Done
     
   • Confirmation: Green checkmark with "Completed" status will appear
4. Once all three steps show "Completed" status, select Save
   

Step 3: Complete Readiness Check 

1. From the Fire Incident Setup - NERIS section, locate Step 2: Readiness Check
2. Select Start to initiate the system scan
3. The system will identify any configuration errors that must be resolved:
   • Review each error message displayed
   • Click the link associated with each error to navigate to the correction screen
   • Make necessary corrections based on the error description
   • Return to the Readiness Check screen
   • Select Check Again to verify the error is resolved
   • Repeat for each error until all show "Completed" status
4. Review the Incidents section at the bottom of the screen:
   • This displays any fire incidents with "incomplete" or "pending authorization" status
   • Select View to see the list of affected reports
   • Important Warning: Continuing without authorizing these reports will reset them to "not started" status, requiring completion in NERIS format
   • Recommendation: Complete and authorize all NFIRS reports before proceeding
5. Once all errors are corrected and you've addressed pending incidents, select Save

Step 4: Activate NERIS - PERMANENT ACTION

1. From the Fire Incident Setup - NERIS section, locate Step 3: Activation 
2. Enable the toggle next to Switch to NERIS
3. CRITICAL: A confirmation modal will appear with a warning:
   • This action is PERMANENT
   • You cannot return to NFIRS after switching
   • Review the warning message carefully
4. If you are ready to proceed, select Yes, switch to NERIS
5. The system will complete the activation process

Step 5: Configure NERIS Integration 

1. Proceed to Step 4: Integration
   • This connects your production site to NERIS and enables automatic report submission
2. A modal will display integration information
3. Select Acknowledge and Continue
4. In the NERIS Migration Setup modal:
   • Copy and paste your NERIS Entity ID into the provided field (recommended to avoid typos)
   • Select Check API Permissions
5. If API Check is Successful:
   • Confirmation message will appear
   • Select Save
   • Your integration is complete
6. If API Error Occurs:
   • An error message with a link will appear
   • Click the link for guidance on "How to Link First Due in NERIS as Third Party Vendor"
   • Follow the instructions to add First Due using the First Due Client ID
   • Return to First Due and select Check API Permissions again
   • Once successful, select Save
7. Upon successful save, the system will automatically begin transitioning reports to NERIS format

Best Practices

Before Starting Migration:

• ✅ Schedule the migration during a low-activity period to minimize disruption
• ✅ Notify all incident documentation users of the upcoming transition and timeline
• ✅ Export backup copies of all existing NFIRS reports for your records
• ✅ Complete a full audit of location addresses and apparatus assignments
• ✅ Ensure all users are trained on any NERIS-specific documentation differences

During Location and Apparatus Setup:

• ✅ Use standardized address formats to prevent duplicate detection issues
• ✅ Verify that location addresses match official municipality records
• ✅ Coordinate with fleet management to ensure apparatus list is current

During Readiness Check:

• ✅ Address all errors before proceeding to activation
• ✅ Run the "Check Again" function multiple times to ensure errors are truly resolved
• ✅ Take screenshots of error messages for documentation purposes
• ✅ Complete all pending NFIRS reports rather than allowing them to reset

During Activation:

• ✅ Have your NERIS login credentials readily available
• ✅ Ensure your NERIS Entity ID is accurate before entering it
• ✅ Complete the integration setup immediately after activation
• ✅ Test report submission with a sample incident to verify integration

After Migration:

• ✅ Monitor the first several NERIS reports to ensure proper submission
• ✅ Verify that automatic data population is functioning correctly
• ✅ Update any internal SOPs or documentation procedures to reflect NERIS requirements
• ✅ Provide additional training to users as needed

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• ❌ Don't rush through the readiness check—unresolved errors will cause post-migration issues
• ❌ Don't proceed with incomplete NFIRS reports unless you're prepared to re-enter data
• ❌ Don't skip the API integration step—reports won't submit automatically without it
• ❌ Don't forget to save your NERIS Entity ID in a secure location for future reference
• ❌ Don't activate NERIS before confirming all users understand the change is permanent

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: What happens if I have duplicate addresses in my Location List? A: The system will flag duplicate addresses during the readiness check. You must either correct the duplicate entries or consolidate locations that share the same address. Each location must have a unique, valid address for NERIS compliance.

Q: Can I switch back to NFIRS after activating NERIS? A: No. The migration to NERIS is permanent and irreversible. This is why the system requires multiple confirmations before activation. Ensure you're fully prepared before proceeding with Step 3.

Q: What happens to incomplete NFIRS reports during migration? A: Any incident reports with "incomplete" or "pending authorization" status will reset to "not started" and must be completed using NERIS documentation standards. It's strongly recommended to complete all NFIRS reports before switching.

Q: The API permission check keeps failing. What should I do? A: This typically means First Due hasn't been properly configured as a third-party vendor in the NERIS system. Click the error link for step-by-step instructions to add First Due using the provided Client ID in your NERIS account settings. Allow 5-10 minutes after making changes in NERIS before checking permissions again.

Q: How long does the migration process take? A: The actual migration steps can be completed in 30-60 minutes if all prerequisites are met. However, preparing your data (locations, apparatus, completing pending reports) may take several hours to days depending on your department's size and data quality.

Q: Do I need to update anything in NERIS separately? A: Yes. You must register your department with NERIS to obtain your Entity ID, and you must configure First Due as an authorized third-party vendor in your NERIS account for automatic report submission to work.

Q: Will historical NFIRS data be lost after switching? A: No. Historical NFIRS reports remain accessible in First Due. However, it's recommended to export backups before migration for your records.

Q: What if I discover an error after activation but before integration? A: You can still correct location and apparatus data after activation. However, you cannot return to NFIRS. Complete any necessary corrections and then proceed with the integration setup.

Q: Can multiple administrators work on this migration together? A: While multiple admins can prepare data (locations and apparatus), only one administrator should perform the actual NERIS activation steps to prevent conflicts or duplicate submissions.

Q: How do I know if the integration is working correctly after setup? A: After completing the integration, create a test incident report and submit it. Verify in your NERIS account that the report appears in your NERIS submission queue. If it doesn't appear within 15 minutes, recheck your API permissions.