Frequently Asked Questions

About

Case Management

Existing RMS Systems

Access Requirements

Support

About

What Is BATS?
BATS is a secure, web-based, computer case management system that is provided to state & local agencies for documenting explosives, fire and arson investigations. BATS was developed primarily with the investigator in mind. BATS is easy-to-use and assists investigators in the gathering, reporting, and accessing of case information for any explosives, fire or arson incident quickly and efficiently. BATS can be used to document any fire, arson, explosion, bombing, or explosives case regardless of cause; including attempts and related threats. Users also have access to critical intelligence advisories and other investigative resources such as online explosives tracing. There is no cost to the participating agency.
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What Is The USBDC?
BATS “links” agencies to the U.S. Bomb Data Center (USBDC) which Congress and the Attorney General have entrusted with maintaining a repository of arson & explosives incidents. BATS is central to the USBDC's mission to standardize the reporting of explosives, bombing, and fire incident information from law enforcement and firefighting authorities to facilitate case analysis and comparison in order to provide investigative leads and intelligence.
The USBDC is staffed with a team of special agents (criminal investigators) and intelligence research specialists possessing many years of specialized arson and explosives investigative experience.
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How Easy Is BATS To Use?
BATS was designed for users with minimal computer skills. Using “drop-down” menu options, BATS users can easily document basic incident details in a matter of minutes.
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Isn't BATS The Same As The National Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)?
The BATS program is separate from the NFIRS database. Whereas the primary mission of NFIRS is to collect fire incident information, BATS is dedicated to documenting the “follow-up” investigation. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, NFIRS is “not intended to replace” an arson information management system such as BATS.
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What Types Of Incidents Can BATS Be Used For?
BATS can be used to document any fire, arson, explosion, bombing, or explosives case. This includes attempts and related threats.
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Why Is It Important To Share Information With Other Investigators?
“The 9/11 Commission” declared that “the biggest impediment to … connecting the dots is the human or systemic resistance to sharing information.” This theme is universal to all investigations. A key recommendation was the creation of a “trusted information network” to facilitate better information sharing at the federal, state, and local levels. BATS is a solution to public safety's long-term inaccessibility to real-time fire and explosives incidents by providing a trusted means to exchange information across the country. Investigations increasingly involve other jurisdictions and transient subjects who move around.
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Has The Issue Of A Single Point Of Reporting For Arson & Explosives Incidents For Law Enforcement And Firefighting Authorities Been Resolved?
Yes. BATS serves as the Nation's sole repository for information pertaining to bombing, explosives and arson incidents, as mandated by statute and Attorney General directive. In addition, ATF and FBI recently joined in support of efforts by the National Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board (NBSCAB) on the issue of explosives incident reporting by bomb technicians. ATF and the FBI jointly endorse and support the use of BATS.
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What Is The Federal Participation In BATS?
Federal law requires all Federal agencies to report incidents involving arson and the suspected criminal misuse of explosives to the USBDC. In 2004, the Attorney General directed the consolidation of all Department of Justice (DOJ) arson and explosives incident databases into a single system, which is now known as BATS. As a result, the ATF Arson and Explosives Incident System (AEXIS) and the former FBI Automated Incident Reporting System (AIRS) have been consolidated into BATS.
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What About Render Safe Procedures (RSP) Reporting?
BATS has a bomb technician-only RSP section to document and store information pertaining to Render Safe Procedures.
This section along with the bomb techs only advisory section is only accessible to agencies that have a valid bomb squad identification number, and to users that have a bomb squad expiration date that is not currently expired.
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What Are The Benefits Of Participating In BATS?
BATS provides your unit with state-of-the-art technology to manage and keep track of all your investigations. Users can easily create professional reports using standardized terminology for consistency. This provides the investigator with the ability to efficiently communicate investigative findings with a prosecutor and other investigators.
The value of the information in BATS is dependent on the quality of incident reporting. This data is not only important to the successful conclusion of the case being investigated but can also help “connect the dots” to other cases across jurisdictions.
The USBDC also provides Congress with statistical reporting regarding explosives, bombing, and fire incidents. Full participation in BATS enables your agency to be accurately represented and can better make a case to acquire needed resources (e.g., grant writing, statistics, mapping, identifying a community's arson problem, juvenile fire setter programs, budget accounting/requests, planning, equipment requests, meetings with municipal leaders, etc).
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What is the Level of Security for Handling BATS Information?
BATS contains Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) previously referred to as Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) in the Information Sharing Environment (ISE). BATS is certified as secure under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and is Section 508, 1194.21 compliant (Software Applications and Operating Systems).
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Is It Possible To Report Incidents To The USBDC Without Spending A Lot Of Time In BATS?
The latest version includes a one-page “short form” to quickly create an incident in a matter of minutes with the option to enter additional information in the future.
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My Department Has Multiple Units With Bomb/Arson Responsibilities. Can An Agency Have Multiple BATS Accounts?
Yes. Agencies with multiple ORIs can have separate accounts based on each ORI. The ORI serves as an Agency/Unit Identifier. Each account header/seal can be designed to reflect the specific unit.
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Can My Department Enter Past Incidents Into BATS?
Yes, there are no date restrictions in BATS. Participating agencies are encouraged to enter past incidents into BATS provided they weren't previously reported to AEXIS or AIRS. This may also serve as a training opportunity to become more familiar with the system.
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Case Management

How Can I Use BATS To Document My Investigation?
BATS allows investigators to easily create professional reports using standardized terminology for consistency. BATS also allows investigators to upload photo images, x-rays, audio/video files, scanned witness statements, lab reports, canine reports, and write narratives detailing investigative activity for any fire or explosives incident. Investigative reports are printed using each department's header and logo.
Investigators can use GIS (data mapping) features to provide “visual” analysis and assist in uncovering patterns and trends. BATS also allows agencies to generate statistical reports for incidents within their jurisdiction.
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What Does A BATS Report Look Like?
Since each agency administers their BATS account, reports are branded with your department's header and logo. (Click here to view a sample BATS report.)
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What Are The Benefits Of Using A Case Management System?
BATS helps investigators easily manage and track their investigations. As there are multiple facets and each case is different, BATS aids investigators in organizing the case by easily documenting facts and evidence. It also helps investigators with planning their investigation.
BATS provides an agency with an easy means of retrieving information on old cases. Investigators are able to cross-reference their case details for possible “links” to other investigations. BATS gives investigators access to various pre-formatted reports contained within the BATS application. These reports provide investigators with a detailed representation of their incident data. Since the information has already been entered once, an investigator does not have to re-enter case details to generate different reports.
Today's legal climate for arson and fire investigations has required that fire investigators use proven scientific methodologies for their expert testimony to be admissible in court. A quality fire investigation report is essential to a successful arson prosecution. BATS provides users with a firm foundation for documenting “origin & cause” and other investigative activity.
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Will My Case Information Be Shared with Other Agencies?
Each agency exercises strict control over access to their BATS incident information by other local, state, and federal agencies. Investigators have the option to specify on a case-by-case basis which agency (or specific investigator) to share with, thus allowing them to work collaboratively. The USBDC encourages users to “un-restrict” access to “closed” and other “inactive” cases in order to facilitate sharing within the BATS user community.
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What If A User Leaves The Department (e.g., Retirements, Reassignment)?
Case management features allow a department to easily reassign an investigation to a new investigator. Agency BATS administrators may contact the USBDC to have user's account deactivated.
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Can a Department Have More Than One Administrator?
Yes, the USBDC recommends having at least two (2).
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Existing RMS Systems

My Agency Uses An Existing Record Management System (RMS). Can I Still Participate?
BATS gives participants the option to easily upload their data into their BATS account. Alternatively, a user can also export their BATS case data into their agency's internal system. For more information contact the U.S. Bomb Data Center at USBDC@atf.gov or toll free @ 1-800-461-8841.
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Access Requirements

How Do I Access BATS?
Authorized Users receive a User ID and Password from the USBDC for secured access using any work computer (police or fire) and the Internet. The web address is www.BATS.gov.
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Why Is National Crime Information Center (NCIC) A Requirement For BATS Participation?
Criminal Justice Purpose: To Establish And Maintain A Satisfactory Information Security Structure.
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Is A CJIS-Terminal Part Of BATS?
No. BATS is web-based and only requires a work computer (police or fire) with Internet access. An Originating Requesting Agency Identifier (ORI) number serves as an agency's unique identifier. There is no interface with NCIC.
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Are There Any Costs Or Software Required To Participate In BATS?
BATS is web-based and does not require any special software. The USBDC is responsible for maintaining the system, to include upgrades.
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I Am A Fire Department Investigator And My Agency Does NOT Have An ORI, Can I Still Participate In BATS?
Yes, fire department investigators that participate in a joint police/fire arson task force can have full access provided they are Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certified to use and receive NCIC information by the sponsoring police department (see next section for fire-department only accounts).
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Can A Fire Department's Fire Investigation Unit (FIU) Have Their Own BATS Account (Non Joint Police/Fire)?
Currently BATS requires that all participating agencies have National Crime Information Center (NCIC) access. As part of the U.S. Bomb Data Center's commitment to supporting firefighting authorities, we are in the process of expanding the requirements to allow traditional non-law enforcement entities such as fire departments to participate in BATS. These new accounts will allow limited-access to use BATS for case management and reporting purposes. In the mean time, fire departments are encouraged to participate in a joint account with their police counterparts. Please note that a Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) terminal is not part of BATS and only requires a work computer (police or fire) with Internet access.
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How Can A Military EOD Unit Participate In BATS?
Currently BATS requires that all participating law enforcement agencies have National Crime Information Center (NCIC) access. As part of the U.S. Bomb Data Center's commitment to supporting military Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Units, we are in the process of expanding the requirements to allow traditional non-law enforcement entities such as military EOD units to participate in BATS. These new accounts will allow limited-access to use BATS for case management and reporting purposes. In the mean time, military EOD units are encouraged to participate in a joint account with their military police counterparts. Please note that a Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) terminal is not part of BATS and only requires a work computer with Internet access.
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Support

Who Do I Contact If I Get Locked Out Of My Account?
BATS has a 24-hour Help Desk at (877) 875-3723 to assist state/local users.
Who Do I Contact For Suggestions On Improving The BATS Program?
The USBDC is committed to making BATS more user-friendly and encourages feedback from users. Users should send an e-mail to the USBDC at: USBDC@ATF.gov
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Who Do I Contact For Additional Information On BATS?
To obtain additional information, please contact the U.S. Bomb Data Center via any one of three ways: calling 1-800-461-8841, sending an e-mail to USBDC@ATF.gov, or completing the BATS Access Request Form.
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