Illinois State Fire Marshal announces transition to new emergency system

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Departments across the state are making the transition to a new emergency reporting system, the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office announced.

These departments are beginning to use a new National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), which is a secure, cloud-based platform built to modernize how emergency incidents are reported and analyzed, the ILSFM said in a news release.

They added that departments across the country are onboarding NERIS as part of a phased national rollout led by the following:

• U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)
• Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T)
• Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI)
  • Part of UL Research Institues

NERIS is replacing the 40-year-old National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) in an effort to provide local agencies with timely data tools, located-based analytics and flexible options for reporting incidents. All of this will also be at no cost to local departments.

“Modernizing emergency data collection is a critical step toward strengthening public safety,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow. “By adopting NERIS, we are giving our departments better tools to protect our communities, manage resources effectively, and make informed decisions backed by current data. This program will also help to enhance CRR programs across the state with real-time data allowing departments to analyze trends in a more efficient and effective way through data dashboards.”

Some of the key features of NERIS include:

• Free access for all public fire and EMS agencies
• Local data ownership, giving departments full control of their records
• GIS-based reporting for location-specific insights and planning
• Actionable dashboards for operational awareness and performance tracking
• Streamlined onboarding with help desk support and training tools

Illinois fire departments may begin the onboarding process on Nov. 4 and will be contacted directly by email within the next few weeks to start the process. If a department doesn’t receive an email, they can start the process by visiting the NERIS website.

“NERIS is purpose-built for today’s fire service,” said Steve Kerber, Executive Director of FSRI. “It’s based on research and feedback from the field, and it delivers actionable information that improves emergency response and supports long-term planning and resourcing at the local, state, and national levels.”

The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office is urging all departments to complete onboarding as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition. The current national data platform, NFIRS, will be formally decommissioned on Jan. 1, 2026.

For more questions or technical support, fire departments can contact the NERIS Help Desk or Lindsey Padget at the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office at 217-670-4300 or lindsey.a.padget@illinois.gov.