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Coding Help

NFIRSGrams provide coding help to fire department personnel using the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).

These short bulletins address frequently asked questions and common mistakes made when completing incident forms.

Coding Questions Guide

The Coding Questions Guide PDF contains instructions on how to code NFIRS 5.0 incident reports in a question-and-answer format.

Latest NFIRSGram articles

More NFIRSGram articles

Sept. 25, 2023

Using NFIRS to document smoke scares in other jurisdictions

Coding


Learn how to use the 'Incident Type Code 641 - Vicinity alarm' correctly, to document smoke scares in other jurisdictions.

Aug. 14, 2023

How to complete incident location/address fields

Basic Module, Coding


Learn how to complete incident location/address fields.

June 29, 2023

Documenting confined structure fires

Basic Module, Coding, Other Modules


Learn how to document confined structure fires.

June 22, 2023

Exposures and when to include them on your incident report

Coding, Other Modules


Learn when to include exposures on your NFIRS incident report.

June 21, 2023

Report remarks - telling the story

Basic Module


Lean how to enter beneficial content into the Remarks field.

June 21, 2023

3 reasons why the NFIRS is important

Data Quality, Data Analysis


3 reasons why it's important for your fire department to use NFIRS.

June 19, 2023

Dispatched and canceled en route

Basic Module, Coding, Data Quality


Learn how to correctly use the 'Incident Type Code 611 — Dispatched and canceled en route' when writing an NFIRS report.

June 19, 2023

Aid given or received

Coding, Basic Module, Data Quality


Learn how correctly use the 'Aid Given' or 'Received field (Block D)' in the Basic Module when submitting an NFIRS report.

June 13, 2023

Documenting casualties on an NFIRS report

Basic Module, Coding, Other Modules


Learn how to document firefighter and civilian casualties.

June 7, 2023

Dates and times

Basic Module


Learn how to enter incident dates and times.

June 7, 2023

CAD systems and autopopulated fields

Basic Module


How to ensure that your CAD system is populating the correct data.

Aug. 18, 2022

Community Paramedicine

Coding, Other Modules


Learn how to code community paramedicine incidents.

Aug. 16, 2022

CSST installation as a contributing factor in a fire

Coding, Other Modules


Learn how to document confined structure fires.

Dec. 17, 2020

Documenting incidents when the time changes

Basic Module, Coding


Learn how to document times for incidents that occur during a time change.

Dec. 17, 2020

Documenting fire death incidents without a fire department response

Basic Module, Coding, Other Modules


This bulletin advises local fire departments not to report fire death incidents to the National Fire Incident Reporting System if the department doesn't respond.

Dec. 17, 2020Updated: Sept. 25, 2023

UPDATED

Determining property use at the incident location

Basic Module, Coding


How to complete the Mixed Use Property and Property Use fields.

Dec. 17, 2020

Why getting the incident type right matters

Basic Module, Data Quality


Understand why getting the incident type field right matters.

Dec. 17, 2020

When is an incident not an incident?

Basic Module


Learn how to determine which fire department activities are not reported to NFIRS.

Dec. 17, 2020

Coding an electronic cigarette fire

Coding, Other Modules


Learn how to code an electronic cigarette fire.

Dec. 17, 2020

Documenting equipment involved in ignition

Coding, Other Modules


Learn how to document equipment involved in ignition when the heat source is operating equipment.

Dec. 17, 2020Updated: Oct. 25, 2023

UPDATED

Data quality

Basic Module, Data Quality


Learn how internal data quality checks are performed by the National Fire Data Center to identify data errors and to assist in fixing them.

Dec. 17, 2020

Understanding the 20-minute response warning message

Basic Module, Data Quality


Understanding the 20-minute response warning message.

June 6, 2020

Formatting your incident numbers

Basic Module, Coding, Data Quality


Options for coding dates into your NFIRS incident numbers.

March 9, 2020

The difference between reported and estimated fire data

Data Analysis


Learn how national fire estimates are calculated using reported incident data and NFPA estimates.

Sept. 26, 2018

The use of plus-one codes

Coding, Data Analysis


Learn how to create and define plus-one codes.

Nov. 2, 2016Updated: Oct. 25, 2023

UPDATED

Calculating fire loss on NFIRS forms

Basic Module


Learn how to calculate fire loss to accurately document a fire incident.

Oct. 5, 2016Updated: Sept. 25, 2023

UPDATED

Documenting your response to a natural disaster

Basic Module, Coding


How to complete a report for response to a natural disaster or large-scale event.