As reported by the US Fire Administration (USFA), National Fire Data Week is highlighting the transformative power of data in fire safety and emergency services.
The USFA announced the development of the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), an advanced data platform for the American fire and emergency services community.
Scheduled for launch in late 2024, NERIS is expected to provide reliable predictive analytics to support enhanced preparedness and response to various incidents, including wildfires, community risk reduction efforts, and future pandemics.
In the first six months of 2024, over 1,060 home fire fatalities were reported.
This statistic underscores the urgent need for better data to inform decisions on prevention and risk reduction.
The USFA’s commitment to data-driven strategies aims to address these challenges by leveraging NERIS for more effective fire incident analysis and community risk assessments.
NERIS is designed to significantly improve community risk reduction (CRR) efforts by providing advanced analytics and near real-time data.
According to the USFA, understanding the nation’s fire problem involves examining multiple risk factors, such as hazard exposure, severity, and vulnerability.
By integrating these data points, NERIS will enable fire departments to develop more effective prevention strategies and assess risk accurately.
The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) has faced limitations in the frequency and comprehensiveness of community risk assessments.
NERIS aims to overcome these constraints by offering faster access to incident trends and incorporating analyses on social vulnerability and past mitigation efforts.
This will allow for more intelligent CRR strategies and investments at the local level.
NERIS will revolutionize how fire incident data is analyzed and utilized by fire departments across the United States.
The platform will provide fire departments with analytical capabilities for data-informed decision-making, moving beyond paperwork to problem-solving.
By making incident data more accessible and actionable, NERIS will support fire departments in addressing both single home fires and larger-scale wildfires more effectively.
The new system will include an optional CRR module, enabling fire departments to track and measure the outcomes of their CRR programs.
This feature will allow for detailed analyses at various geographic levels, such as fire station first due areas and census tracts, facilitating more targeted and effective CRR efforts.
The development of NERIS marks a significant step forward in fire safety and emergency response.
By equipping fire departments with advanced data and analytics tools, NERIS will enable a more proactive approach to fire incident management and risk reduction.
The platform’s ability to provide near real-time data and predictive analytics will support fire departments in making data-driven decisions to enhance public safety and reduce fire-related fatalities and damages.
