NFIRS to NERIS (National Emergency Response Information System) Transition
As many of you know, the NFIRS national reporting database is being replaced by a new national database called NERIS (National Emergency Response Information System). The Fire Marshal's Office has been working with departments around Maine who use the state MEFIRS reporting system, to assist in that transition. On October 17, 2025, a webinar was provided to departments to provide information on the transition. The Office also held a webinar on December 17, 2025 to show how departments using the MEFIRS system will report their incidents, using the NERIS fire run form that will be used for 2026 reports. You can access these webinar videos by clicking on the specific link below.
Fire Marshal's webinar on NFIRS to NERIS Transition October 17, 2025: we suggest you start the video at timestamp 2:30, because we were waiting for participants to join the webinar before that point.
Fire Marshal's webinar on using the new NERIS fire run form in MEFIRS: December 17, 2025. This webinar walks people through the new NERIS fire run form in MEFIRS.
"Fighting Fires with Facts"
To effectively fight fire we need to know what happened. Hence, every report, however small the incident, is important.
The Maine Fire Incident Reporting System (MEFIRS) is a FREE statewide NFIRS reporting application available to all Maine fire departments. MEFIRS is operated by the Maine State Fire Marshal's Office as an extension of the Maine Emergency Services Reporting System administered by the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services within the Maine Department of Public Safety. The fire service responds to all types of emergency and non-emergency incidents. The effect of those responses is only recognized if the incidents are documented, reported, shared and analyzed. The goal is to encourage fire departments to use a standardized emergency response information system to report their activities.
The fire service's tool for achieving this is the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). The MEFIRS fire report information is uploaded to NERIS, which is jointly administered by the U.S. Fire Administration and the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). There, the data is used to analyze individual state and the national fire burden or the cumulative cost of fire-related deaths, injuries, property and contents loss, as well as response costs and others costs. Decisions made based on this data can help reduce the loss of life and property caused by fires.
Understanding fire in Maine will:
- Provide data needed to develop fire prevention and safety programs that prevent injuries and deaths due to fires
- Help plan for future fire department needs
- Identify resource needs
- Prioritize training
- Qualify for national grants
Data from MEFIRS is used by the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office to prepare an annual report and for ongoing research into Maine's unique fire burden and fire incidents as required by the Maine Legislature. Information gathered from local fire departments provides a resource of statewide statistical data that can be shared to help local fire chiefs determine fire trends and specific areas of fire loss that may need to be addressed in their jurisdictions. Local fire departments can do studies identifying trends in the number of calls to the fire department, the types of calls made, and the origin of calls. This information might be used to determine the best location for a fire station or if another tank truck is needed. Data can also provide justification of fire department budgets to a city or town council, or town selectmen.
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The MEFIRS/NERIS State Program Manager is Michelle Mason Webber. Her contact information is below:
Michelle Mason Webber
Office of State Fire Marshal
52 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0052
Cell phone: 207-629-7212
Email: Michelle.Mason-Webber@maine.gov
Visit the MEFIRS login screen here--it is best used in the Google Chrome web browser.
If you have a problem with MEFIRS or NERIS, submit a ticket here
Help with NERIS
NERIS Data Dictionary Coding Help
Why Should Fire Departments Report Incidents?
Maine statute Title 25 M.R.S. §2395 requires that Fire Chiefs shall submit to the State Fire Marshal an incident report for each response made, regardless of whether an actual fire occurred. After returning from an incident, fire departments create an appropriate report and enter it into the MEFIRS system, a different RMS system, or enter the data into NERIS directly.
Documenting the individuals who were on incidents will aid firefighters if they experience an injury and need to investigate disability:
§18511. Presumption of disability for active firefighters.
Documenting the individuals who were on incidents also helps with worker compensation and presumption of cancer or cardiovascular/pulmonary disease
- §112. Workers' compensation coverage for forest firefighters
- §328. Cardiovascular injury or disease and pulmonary disease suffered by a firefighter or resulting in a firefighter's death
- §328-B. Cancer suffered by a firefighter
MEFIRS documents created by Michelle Mason Webber
A list of State Plus-One codes for fire reports. Please contact Michelle if you have a situation where you believe a new statewide Plus-One code needs to be created. She will assess the existing NERIS code situation and decide if a new Plus-One code needs to be created. Maine State Plus-One codes *** updated 1/29/2026
A "MEFIRS Report Writer Fire Report Hints" document that provides basic guidance on how to use Report Writer to find some reports she has created that summarizes fire run report and training/activities information: MEFIRS Report Writer Fire Report Hints (PDF, 8 pages, 275 KB) *** updated 6/11/2020-outdated-a new version will be posted soon!
A "MEFIRS Training & Activity Module Hints" document that provides basic information on setting up data elements for training and activity forms and events: MEFIRS Training & Activities Module Hints (PDF, 7 pages, 675 KB) *** updated 12/30/19