Office of the State Fire Marshal announced Wednesday that fire departments across the state are beginning the transition to the National Emergency Response Information System – a secure, cloud-based platform built to modernize how emergency incidents are reported and analyzed.
Departments across the country are onboarding to NERIS as part of a phased national rollout led by the U.S. Fire Administration, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, and the Fire Safety Research Institute, part of Underwriters Laboratory Research Institutes.
NERIS is replacing the 40-year-old National Fire Incident Reporting System, and will provide local agencies with timely data tools, location-based analytics, and flexible options for incident reporting at no cost to departments.
“Modernizing emergency data collection is a critical step toward strengthening public safety,” said Chief Daniel Berlant, California State Fire Marshal. “By utilizing NERIS, we are giving our departments better tools to protect our communities, manage resources effectively, and make informed decisions backed by current data.”
Key Features of NERIS Include:
- Zero-cost access for all public fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies
- Local data ownership, giving departments full control of their records
- GIS-based reporting for location-specific insights and planning
- Actionable dashboards for operational awareness and performance tracking
- Streamlined onboarding with help desk support and training tools
Departments can begin the onboarding process today by visiting the NERIS website.
The process includes account setup, administrator access, and records management system integration, if applicable.
“NERIS is purpose-built for today’s fire service,” said Steve Kerber, Executive Director of FSRI. “It’s based on research and feedback from the field, and it delivers actionable information that improves emergency response and supports long-term planning and resourcing at the local, state, and national levels.”
CAL FIRE – OSFM encourages all departments to complete onboarding as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition. The current national data platform, NFIRS, will be formally decommissioned on January 1st, 2026.
