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- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
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- State Statistics
- Data Sets

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- Coding Help

# Coding Help

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##### In this section

                - eNFIRS Applications
                - Documentation
                - Training
                - Coding Help                   - Basic Module (19)
                  - Coding (19)
                  - Data Analysis (3)
                  - Data Quality (9)
                  - Other Modules (10)
                - Reporting Guidelines
                - Vendor Information
                - Data Quality
                - Access Data
                - About NFIRS
                - NERIS

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 GuidePDF contains instructions on how to code NFIRS 5.0 incident reports in a question-and-answer format.

## Latest NFIRSGram articles

Nov. 29, 2023
NEW

### How to document wildfires

Coding, Data Quality, Other Modules

----

It is important to document wildfires in NFIRS completely and accurately to better understand the impacts they have in our country. Tips on how to code wildfires.

Read the article

Nov. 29, 2023
NEW

### How to code fire incidents involving lithium-ion batteries

Basic Module, Coding, Data Quality, Other Modules

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Learn how to code a NFIRS report for a fire incident in a vehicle, structure or equipment where a lithium-ion battery is present and involved.

Read the article

## 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

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Learn how to complete incident location/address fields.

June 29, 2023

### Documenting confined structure fires

Basic Module, Coding, Other Modules

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Learn how to document confined structure fires.

June 22, 2023

### Exposures and when to include them on your incident report

Coding, Other Modules

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Learn when to include exposures on your NFIRS incident report.

June 21, 2023

### Report remarks - telling the story

Basic Module

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Lean how to enter beneficial content into the Remarks field.

June 21, 2023

### 3 reasons why the NFIRS is important

Data Quality, Data Analysis

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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

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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

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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

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Learn how to document firefighter and civilian casualties.

June 7, 2023

### Dates and times

Basic Module

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Learn how to enter incident dates and times.

June 7, 2023

### CAD systems and autopopulated fields

Basic Module

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

Aug. 18, 2022

### Community Paramedicine

Coding, Other Modules

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Learn how to code community paramedicine incidents.

Aug. 16, 2022

### CSST installation as a contributing factor in a fire

Coding, Other Modules

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Learn how to document confined structure fires.

Dec. 17, 2020

### Documenting incidents when the time changes

Basic Module, Coding

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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

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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

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Understand why getting the incident type field right matters.

Dec. 17, 2020

### When is an incident not an incident?

Basic Module

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

Dec. 17, 2020

### Coding an electronic cigarette fire

Coding, Other Modules

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Learn how to code an electronic cigarette fire.

Dec. 17, 2020

### Documenting equipment involved in ignition

Coding, Other Modules

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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

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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

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Understanding the 20-minute response warning message.

June 6, 2020

### Formatting your incident numbers

Basic Module, Coding, Data Quality

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Options for coding dates into your NFIRS incident numbers.

March 9, 2020

### The difference between reported and estimated fire data

Data Analysis

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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

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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.

Page last reviewed: June 19, 2023

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