Illinois fire departments 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,” the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office said in a news release.

Departments across the country are onboarding to NERIS as part of a phased national rollout led by the U.S. Fire Administration, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, and the Fire Safety Research Institute, part of UL Research Institutes, according to the release.

NERIS is replacing the 40-year-old National Fire Incident Reporting System to 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,” Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow said in the release. “By adopting NERIS, we are giving our departments better tools to protect our communities, manage resources effectively and make informed decisions backed by current data. This program will also help to enhance [community risk reduction] programs across the state with real-time data, allowing departments to analyze trends more efficiently and effectively through data dashboards.”

Key features of NERIS include:

• zero-cost access for all public fire and emergency medical services agencies
• local data ownership, giving departments full control of their records
• geographic information system-based reporting for location-specific insights and planning
• actionable dashboards for operational awareness and performance tracking
• streamlined onboarding with helpdesk support and training tools

Departments could begin the onboarding process Tuesday, Nov. 4, and will be contacted directly by email within the next few weeks to start the onboarding process. If a department does not receive an email, they can start the process by visiting the NERIS website, according to the release.

The process includes account setup, administrator access and records management system integration, if applicable.

“NERIS is purpose-built for today’s fire service,” FSRI Executive Director Steve Kerber said in the release. “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.”

The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office 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 Jan. 1. For additional questions or technical support, departments can contact the NERIS Help Desk, or Lindsey Padget at the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office at 217-670-4300 or Lindsey.A.Padget@illinois.gov.