In the upper division baccalaureate degree category, three semester hours in public administration, fire science, fire administration, emergency management, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), or homeland security.
This six-day course is offered to enhance the knowledge and skills of those individuals responsible for the managing of National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and/or multiple fire/EMS databases in their organization, and/or for those responsible for the training of field-level data collection and reporting staffs. This course provides information about the system’s capabilities, data collection and analysis, and the available reporting features. Focus is on the higher level knowledge, skills and abilities required to collect, compile and analyze NFIRS data, to develop decision packages used as the basis for Standards of Cover and for comparative data based on local, state or national data and trends. The National Fire Academy’s (NFA's) computer lab is used extensively for this course.
Note: Class activities require knowledge of NFIRS coding and familiarity with Microsoft Excel sufficient to navigate the toolbars. You will be directed in the Admission’s Acceptance Letter to access the pre-course information. You must contact your NFIRS state program manager four weeks prior to the start of class to obtain permission for data access for use during the training. Additionally, you will need to complete a pre-course skills evaluation, data collection activities and recommended readings that are found in the pre-course information.
Selection criteria
This course is for a broad audience of fire department NFIRS/EMS program managers/developers and administrative analysts and staff responsible for NFIRS multisource data collection/analysis, and for the training of field-level data collection and reporting staffs. Special consideration is available for groups of students from the same organization attending the same session. All applications must be submitted at the same time. Priority admission will be given to individuals designated as a State, U.S Territory, or Tribal Nation NFIRS Program Manager.
In addition, prospective students must meet the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) eligibility requirements.
Prerequisites
1. Incident Command System (ICS)-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online at www.usfa.fema.gov/training/nfa/courses/online.html. Chief’s signature attests that the applicant has completed this required training.
2. Applicant must have attended and successfully completed one of the following or an equivalent:
- The NFA’s two-day “Introduction to NFIRS 5.0” (F/W0497) course.
- A state or regionally sponsored two-day “Introduction to NFIRS” course.
- The NFA’s online “National Fire Incident Reporting System 5.0 Self-Study” (Q0494), course available at www.usfa.fema.gov/training/nfa/courses/online.html.
