The Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes, today announces the release of the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) Beta version of the NERIS Core Data Schemas.
The Beta release – in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate – represents a critical step forward in the modernization of fire and emergency services data systems. The Core Data Schemas serve as the foundation for the development of the NERIS platform and are essential for facilitating integrations with third party data services like computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and records management systems (RMS).
This effort results from an extensive, collaborative effort involving numerous technical experts, senior leaders, and interagency partners. It incorporates insights from a public national engagement process where over 1,600 comments from stakeholders nationwide were meticulously reviewed and adjudicated. This collaborative approach has borrowed from the existing standards and proven successes – while refining other elements – to better address the complex and evolving needs of fire departments, their personnel, and the public.
These are the foundational components for modernizing how fire data is collected, analyzed, and utilized. It's about enhancing capabilities and creating services that provide insights to help save lives and livelihoods.
-Craig Weinschenk, NERIS Principal Investigator
The schema resources below serve as critical building blocks of the new system. They provide an understanding of how NERIS will operate and the essential technical information necessary for integration. The Executive Guide also offers specific, actionable instructions to assist your department in preparing for onboarding.
The NERIS Core Data Schemas are now available for download in Beta in the following three formats:
Executive Guide
For All - Fire Service Leaders, Firefighters, and Other Non-Technical Stakeholders
- Clear Overview: Provides a look at the NERIS schemas, aiding executives in overseeing integration and enhancing communication with technology partners.
- Strategic Insight: Delivers essential knowledge on how NERIS enhances operational capabilities, enabling informed decision-making.
- Operational Efficiency: Highlights how NERIS will streamline data collection.
- Guidance on Onboarding: Outlines practical steps and key actions for fire departments to prepare for NERIS.
Spreadsheets
For Data Analysts and Firefighter Data Specialists
- Improved Data Collection: Shows how incident reporting is enhanced with NERIS, ensuring more accurate and useful data.
- Simpler Language: Illustrates the shift from numerical codes to plain language for straightforward data collection.
- Enhanced Data Integration: Demonstrates how connecting with external data sets can enrich collected data and reduce manual input.
Technical Specifications
For Software Developers, Engineers, and Technical Support Teams
- Detailed Documentation: Provides an object-relational mapping model for dispatch and incident schema data elements.
- Standardized Data Models: Offers uniform formats for incident, entity, and CAD/dispatch data elements.
- Flexible Schema Formats: Presents schemas in plain-text formats (csv and yml), tailored to diverse system requirements with README files defining metadata.
