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NERIS Public

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NERIS Public is a collection of open data sets based on National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) data submitted by fire departments. These data sets are freely available and can be used by researchers, organizations, institutions, fire department data analysts and state fire data analysts at no cost.

Name Definition Type Lag Destination
NERIS Public Fire Departments Feature layer containing fire district boundaries, headquarters locations, and additional station locations. Dynamic 1 Day

As data sets become available, we will link to them for easy access.

Frequently asked questions

  • Q: Is this the method to retrieve an incident report?
    • A: No, we recommend contacting the local fire department(s) that responded to the incident in question. (Link to report retention policy webpage)
  • Q: Why is this data not live?
    • A: NERIS data is not intended for operational decision-making. Fire departments are encouraged to complete incident reports promptly after clearing an incident. As additional information becomes available, fire departments may edit and update incident records for a limited period following the initial submission.
       
      NERIS Public data sets are categorized as either dynamic or static. Dynamic data sets are updated on a regular schedule, while static data sets remain unchanged and are intended for research or projects that do not require ongoing updates.
       
      Among the dynamic data sets, the NERIS Public Fire Departments data set is refreshed daily at midnight Eastern time. To comply with certain state requirements, other data sets are updated automatically after a 60-day delay.
       
      Occasionally, data set updates may be interrupted due to maintenance or troubleshooting. Efforts will be made to minimize disruptions and communicate any long-term interruptions.
  • Q: How do I retrieve the underlying data for use in other applications?
  • Q: Where can I find examples that use NERIS Public data?