NERIS is Coming: Reporting Standards Changing in Fire
December 05, 2024 by Joel Mampilly, EMT
For decades, fire and EMS departments have relied on their own data for quality and operational improvement. The reason? Getting data from other sources was difficult.
As technology progressed, and departments moved towards digital reporting, most of that data lived with individual departments and their respective states. Getting data back from the legacy NFIRS database, for fire incident reporting, or from NEMSIS datasets, for EMS reporting, was cumbersome with lengthy timelines.
However, with the transition to NEMSIS 3.5, for EMS reporting, and the upcoming migration to the NERIS (1/1/2025 – 1/1/2026), agencies will be able to better understand their operations and glean best practices from the larger datasets.
What to Expect With NEMSIS 3.5?
NEMSIS 3.5 allows for increased data standardization across states and regions. One of the big changes is a push towards understanding dispositions across units, crews, patient care, and transport. This unlocks the potential for additional research as innovative programs are rolled out like TIP (treatment in place) and TAD (transport to alternative destination).
NEMSIS 3.5 also aligns with CARES to help gauge cardiac arrest response. The added benefit is that there are less nationally required elements to fill, which should make ePCRs easier to complete.
Reporting Changes With NERIS
The bigger change is in fire records. The upcoming NERIS data standard, set to replace the legacy NFIRS system, will start accepting submissions generally on January 1, 2025. Current guidance states that NFIRS will no longer be accepted as of January 1, 2026.
With NERIS replacing legacy NFIRS reporting, departments can expect enhanced data analytics, improved access to real-time data, and more robust information about fire incidents and fire risks.
Want to learn more about NERIS? Attend this webinar and join experts from Tyler Technologies and Emergency Networking to find out how your department can be ready for NERIS ahead of schedule.