Having trouble finding the validation errors? That’s your software. If your report says it’s valid, yet you receive critical errors upon uploading to the state, that’s your software. If you can’t see the full wording of a code, that’s your software. None of these are caused by NFIRS.

We know it’s a problem. It’s always been a problem. However, NFIRS information influences countless prevention campaigns, safety product development, code development, and a host of other areas so it is far past time to take NFIRS seriously. We must set complaints of data quality aside and take action.

NFIRS “goes” by many names. Some call it by a state program name, e.g., The [Enter a state name] Fire Incident Reporting System; others call it by the software program a department purchased, e.g., Firehouse™ Incident Reporting; and some simply call it “run reports.” It’s all the same thing, no matter what you call it. And it’s highly useful.