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Source: CAL FIRE
November 5, 2025 (Sacramento) - Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) announced today that fire departments across the state are beginning the transition to the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), a secure, cloud-based platform built to modernize how emergency incidents are reported and analyzed.
Departments across the country are onboarding to NERIS as part of a phased national rollout led by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), and the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Research Institutes.
NERIS is replacing the 40-year-old National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), and will provide local agencies with timely data tools, location-based analytics, and flexible options for incident reporting at no cost to departments.
“Modernizing emergency data collection is a critical step toward strengthening public safety,” said Chief Daniel Berlant, California State Fire Marshal. “By utilizing NERIS, we are giving our departments better tools to protect our communities, manage resources effectively, and make informed decisions backed by
current data.”
Key features of NERIS include:
- Zero-cost access for all public fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies
- Local data ownership, giving departments full control of their records
- GIS-based reporting for location-specific insights and planning
- Actionable dashboards for operational awareness and performance tracking
- Streamlined onboarding with help desk support and training tools
Departments can begin the onboarding process today by visiting the NERIS website. The process includes account setup, administrator access, and records management system (RMS) integration, if applicable.
“NERIS is purpose-built for today’s fire service,” said Steve Kerber, Executive Director of FSRI. “It’s based on research and feedback from the field, and it delivers actionable information that improves emergency response and supports long-term planning and resourcing at the local, state, and national levels."
OSFM encourages all departments to complete onboarding as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition. The current national data platform, NFIRS, will be formally decommissioned on January 1, 2026.
For additional questions or technical support, departments can contact the NERIS Help Desk or the CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal directly.
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About NERIS
NERIS is the new all-hazards reporting platform for U.S. fire and emergency services. Developed through a federal public-private partnership with input from departments nationwide, NERIS delivers modern tools to streamline reporting, improve data quality, and support community risk reduction. By tracking operational trends, resource use, and incident outcomes, NERIS advances data-informed approaches to emergency response and resource allocation.
About FSRI
FSRI is part of UL Research Institutes, advances fire safety knowledge to address the world’s unresolved fire safety risks and emerging dangers. As part of UL Research Institutes, we are committed to sharing our fire safety insights with everyone to advance UL’s public safety mission of providing safe living and working environments for people everywhere.
Through advanced fire science, rigorous research, extensive outreach and education in collaboration with our international network of partners, we impart stakeholders with the information, tools and resources that enable them to make better, more fire-safe decisions that ultimately save lives and property.
About CAL FIRE – OSFM
The Office of the State Fire Marshal, within CAL FIRE, protects life and property through the development and application of fire prevention, engineering, training and education, and enforcement. From code development, wildfire preparedness, firefighter training, to incident data collection, the CAL FIRE - OSFM supports California’s fire service and works to keep Californians safe. As part of its duties, CAL FIRE - OSFM manages the statewide emergency incident data collection program that analyzes and distributes statistical information reported by fire departments throughout the state.
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