Texas Department of Insurance

State Fire Marshal's Office


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Texas Fire Incident Reporting System

This section of the Fire Prevention and Outreach Services division collects and maintains data from fire departments and compiles statistics on fires in an effort to determine the impact of fire on lives and property in Texas.

The State Fire Marshal's Office has long encouraged local fire departments to use Texas Fire Incident Reporting System (TEXFIRS) data for analytical purposes, to quantitatively identify and rank local emergency problems, and to determine how to most effectively respond to them. But such research and analysis need not be limited to fire departments and fire incidents. In 2010, students at Texas State University analyzed 2007 swift water rescue data reported to TEXFIRS for a report describing the burden of flash flooding in Texas. The SFMO applauds and encourages such innovative use of TEXFIRS data in helping to identify and improve responses to the many types of emergencies that occur in Texas, and the TEXFIRS program is always ready to assist other such research projects with whatever data it can provide.

Fire Department Reporting Status:

The State Fire Marshal's Office and the USFA recommend that fire departments submit their data to the state at monthly intervals. If no runs were made during the month, a report of "no activity" should be submitted to the state for the reporting period in order to receive credit for participation. Departments may now check their current reporting status online for 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007. Updates reflecting successfully processed files are posted monthly. Please allow six to eight weeks for processing of submitted data files. If you have any questions concerning data submitted or your department is not listed contact our office (512) 305-7950 for further information.

Click below to go to your area of interest:

 

Important Notice:

Using the NFIRS Data Entry Tool on a Windows 7 or Windows Vista Computer

Once you have downloaded and installed the software you will need to perform the following steps.

Step 1:

NFIRS Version 5.9 installs two folders on a Windows 7 or Windows Vista Machine as “read only” instead of “full control.”  The setting should be changed to full control.  

Follow the instructions on how to remove read-only permissions from the NFIRS 5.x client directory that are provided in the following PDF document. A user should only have to do this once.

Download PDF document here.

Step 2:

Click on "Start," hover over "Control Panel," and click "System."

In the window that opens, click on "Advanced System Settings" on the left-hand side.

Click on the "Advanced" tab.

In the box labeled "Performance," click the "Settings" button.

Under the "Visual Effects" tab, click the "Adjust for best performance" button.

Click "Apply" to apply the settings.

NOTE: This will set your computer to run at best performance for ALL programs being used. If you are a “power user” and run multiple programs at the same time on a laptop while on battery power you will most likely see a drop in battery time.

 

Fire Cause of Ignition:

Fire incidents submitted with cause of ignition listed as "Under Investigation" should be updated as information is available to clearly document incident cause and related ignition factors. A list of fire department incidents "Under Investigation" is now available for review. (This is a very large document.)

   

Fires In Texas

Each year the TEXFIRS section publishes Fires in Texas, a summary of fires reported during the preceding year.

   

Reporting Guidelines

Reports Should Be Submitted Monthly.

The SFMO recommends that fire departments submit their data at monthly intervals. Departments may report using the approved forms, a vendor program or the free federal software. A list of contact information for NFIRS 5.0 active vendors can be viewed at the NFIRS Web site.

You may submit incidents by mail -- on paper, disk, CD -- or via FTP or e-mail to TEXFIRS@tdi.state.tx.us.

Incidents should be submitted on a monthly basis, within two weeks of the close of the month. The previous calendar year's data should be submitted no later than March 31 of the current year.

NOTE: Only departments with 300 or fewer incidents per year may report on paper.

Mail TEXFIRS reports to:

Texas Department of Insurance
State Fire Marshal's Office/TEXFIRS
P.O. Box 149221, MC 112-FM
Austin, TX 78714-9221

When TEXFIRS receives a data file by e-mail we will reply with an acknowledgment e-mail back to the sending department. If you do not receive a response e-mail be sure to contact our office.

If no runs were made during the month, a report of "no activity" should be submitted to the state for the reporting period. The SFMO would like to thank all participating Texas fire departments for their continued support of the TEXFIRS system.

   

Reporting Software

NFIRS 5.0 USFA Software Users:

Texas has adopted the national version of the incident reporting system, NFIRS Version 5.0, as TEXFIRS Version 5.0. All computer-based reporting software must be compatible with the national NFIRS 5.0 database standard as posted by the USFA. A list of contact information for NFIRS 5.0 active vendors can be viewed at the NFIRS Web site.

Because of systems support and training considerations, the State Fire Marshal's Office strongly recommends that fire departments utilize a certified vendor program for TEXFIRS reporting.

In an effort to assist fire departments with their transition to the new version, the Data Entry Tool, a software program for Version 5.0, will be distributed to fire departments upon request. This program is being distributed at no cost to fire departments, but with the understanding that each department will be responsible for installation and systems support issues. User groups will be utilized as a means of providing a support system on the new program.

Departments interested in the program should register as a user with NFIRS. You will be notified when your account is activated and given access to download the program.

To download the program, log in with the user name and password you used to register. Internet connection will be necessary for software updates and transmittal of data. In many cases a vendor's program may better meet a department's needs for training and system support.

NFIRS 5.0 Forms can be downloaded from http://www.nfirs.fema.gov/design.htm.

The Coding Questions and Answers Guide can be downloaded from http://www.nfirs.fema.gov/documentation/reference/. This Guide provides information on coding NFIRS 5.0 incident reports in a question-and-answer format. For coding rules, http://www.nfirs.fema.gov/documentation/rules.shtm

For additional information, please check NFIRS web site at www.nfirs.fema.gov/.

   

Notices

Surplus Computers for VFDs

The Texas Department of Insurance distributes surplus computers to volunteer fire departments on a first come, first served basis. Interested VFDs need to contact Jack Gilmore (jack.gilmore@tdi.state.tx.us) at the TDI warehouse to see what is on hand. Someone of responsibility with the VFD will need to make the pickup, in order to fill out and sign the necessary paper work.

User Accounts - NFIRS 5.0

To meet FEMA security requirements for protection of application and information access, NFIRS 5.0 user accounts have a daily account Last Login check and automatic user account deactivation for accounts that have not been accessed for at least 45 days.

At 04:30 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (3:30 AM Texas time) daily, the system deactivates user accounts that have not had a login for 45 days.

Logins are recorded in the NFIRS Online National database three ways:

When the On-line user successfully logs in to the USFA client software (Data Entry Tool, System Admin Tool, or Program Admin Tool).

When the Off-line user performs User Injection/Remote Synchronization successfully (On-line login is required during the process).

Upon successful login to the NFIRS User Login page https://www.nfirs.fema.gov/NFIRSWebTools/UserVendorServletHelper/userServlet/userLogin.do, or future Web Based Reporting login.

If a user has not logged in one of these three ways for 45 days, his or her account will be automatically deactivated. Users will have to contact TEXFIRS and have their account reactivated. It is not necessary to register again; this will only create duplicate accounts. If you have any questions please contact TEXFIRS, 512-305-7950, 512-305-7954 or

PASSWORD RULE: PASSWORD MUST BE AT LEAST EIGHT (8) CHARACTERS LONG, AND INCLUDE BOTH LETTERS AND NUMBERS.

To Avoid Deactivation

To avoid account deactivation, all users should login to the On-line system monthly. Off-line users following the recommendation of performing User Injection /Remote Synch monthly will update their Last Login date upon its successful completion and will avoid account deactivation.

Data converted from Version 4.1 to 5.0

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has discovered that some transactions are being sent to the state level from fire departments that were converted by vendors from Version 4.1 to Version 5.0. Data converted from Version 4.1 to 5.0 should not be sent to the state or federal level, but should instead be kept locally.

The rule on this is for fire departments to send the incidents to the state in the format that it was originally reported. The NFIRS Version 4.1 to 5.0 conversion will be made at the state or the federal level using the USFA conversion tool.

USFA is trying to make all vendors and states aware of this important issue. Data conversions based upon independent (vendor) interpretation may potentially compromise data quality.

   

Census Tract

For census tract information, visit the U.S. Census Bureau Census Tract Street Locator. You may also contact us for assistance with census tract information, or the State Library and Archives at 512-463-5455.

Please continue to check this site for updates.
For additional TEXFIRS information, contact Virginia Garza at 512-305-7950.


For more information contact:



Last updated: 01/20/2012



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