System Features

• The address field is formatted to allow computerized queries and street based address matching for GIS purposes. Future enhancements are planned for GIS information collection.·
• Carbon Monoxide incidents are captured.
• Abbreviated paths through the system for nuisance fires with no losses or casualties are available.
• Fire losses are broken into property and contents to better define structure losses. Pre-incident value is also captured as an optional data element.
• The ability to capture one-time information for special studies purposes is a feature of the design.
• Small spills of common hazardous materials such as gasoline are quickly and easily documented. Detailed information is completed optionally only if a serious release of hazardous materials occurs.
• Fire service resources for apparatus and personnel are grouped by use at the incident. Specific, detailed information about the use of fire service personnel and apparatus will be collected in a standard way for the first time in optional modules. This will permit manning studies on several levels of use.
• Specific property information about multiple on-site materials and their use is captured. This will allow identification of non intended or illegal uses of property such as residential drug houses or laboratories.
• Information on the number of acres burned for all fires is captured. Specific and detailed information about wildland or large open fires is captured for those fires only.
• Multiple factors contributing to the cause of the fire may be reported. This allows identification of juvenile fire setters, possible gang involvement in fires, alcohol and cigarette interaction as well as drugs and youth involvement by age categories.
• A wide range of equipment involved in starting fires can be reported. Detailed tracking of specific equipment involved in fire ignitions is possible.
• Factors that impact fireground suppression or future prevention are captured. Burglar bars, high rack storage, balloon construction and unprotected vertical openings are some examples of this information.
• Detailed information on the impact of fires on buildings is captured. Information on the building's size, number of stories and status is available. Specific information can be reported on fire origin, damage patterns, flame spread and materials contributing to flame spread.
• Information on detectors and automatic suppression systems has been greatly expanded for the current NFIRS. Included are information on the system's presence, range, power supply, effectiveness, operation and reason for failure.
• Information on casualties has been expanded to provide a better understanding of the relationship of the casualty to factors contributing to injury as well as the nature and cause of injuries.

Technical Architecture

• States can edit and operate their databases through the federal Web site if desired as if the data and the software resided on their own PCs. Data can be transferred to the States interactively on demand. Transfers will entail part or all of a state's data as needed.
• The Client/Server software application is made available via the Internet to states and Metro Departments for installation on request.
• Maintenance and updates to the system and its software may be greatly eased since update distribution and system maintenance can be accomplished through the Internet.
• Separate web-based utilities, the Bulk Import Utility and Bulk Export Utility, enable the transfer of data files collected with third party software. State level agencies implement the permissions for access to these tools (Refer to the Active Vendors list).
• A web-based Summary Output Reports Tool provides summary and statistical reports on state and fire department data saved in the National Database. The state level agency implements the permissions for access to the web-based reports tool.
• Data can be easily packaged on the WWW for the use of states, other organizations and the public.·
• Web-based on-line reporting, queries and GIS services can make the system's utility far more powerful than a PC based system residing at state offices. States can share their most recent data on particular types of incidents as they desire with departments, other states, organizations, etc.
• System design will allow states and metros the flexibility to continue to process incidents in a way similar to they way do currently or to take advantage of a networked Internet system approach as they desire.