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Alaska Statistics/NFIRS/Reports

Alaska National Fire Incident Reporting System (ANFIRS)

 

The Alaska National Fire Inicident Reporting System (ANFIRS) objective is to help Alaska develop fire reporting and analysis capability for our own use and to obtain data that can be used to more accurately assess and subsequently combat the fire problem at a State level. After we compile the data from Alaska fire departments, we forward it to the United States Fire Administration (USFA) where they gather and analyze information on the magnitude of the Nation's fire problem, as well as its detailed characteristics and trends.

There are many objectives of ANFIRS. The information provides data that is utilized in development of methods of reducing deaths and injuries as well as loss to personal property. It provides a measuring tool for comparison of areas in the state and states throughout the United States.

Although paperwork may seem to have little to do with fire protection, firefighters who carefully document the causes of fires and the make model and serial numbers of products involved in fires help identify how similar fires can be prevented in the future.

With the implementation of the Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS 5.0) in 2000, the Division of Fire and Life Safety upgraded it's reporting system to meet this standard which is designed to be a computer based reporting system.

Departments must report all fire and/or fire related incidents to the Division monthly. The reports are due by the 10th of every month for the previous month reports per 13 AAC 52.020. Departments not reporting as required may loose their registration status.

If a department did not have any fires for the previous month, the department must notify Marie Collins by email or call. If able, sending an email is the best way for notification as the user will recieve an email that our office recieved the fire departments no activit" report.

There are three ways for departments to report:

1.  Phone: If a department has less than 5 fire and/or fire related incidents per year, you may call 907-269-5625 to get the incident reported.  Marie will ask the required questions that is applicable for the incident, put it into the eNFIRS and send the department a copy of the incident.
2.  Paper: The Division of Fire and Life Safety submitted NFIRS 5.0 Forms for incident reporting. Once the incident has been filled out by paper, please scan and email the incident to Marie Collins.  The incident will manually be put into eNFIRS.
3.  Electronically: All others must report electronically. The local NFIRS reporting system must be in accordance to the USFA NFIRS 5.0 standard.

The Division publishes statewide Fire in Alaska annually. See link below named, "Annual Fire Reports".

NFIRS 5.0 forms, refernce guide and coding questions can be found here: eNFIRS Webware and Training:
 

In an effort to assist fire departments, the Division of Fire and Life Safety is allowing the use of USFA eNFIRS; a USFA web-based NFIRS program as of August, 2020. NOTE: Internet connection will be necessary. This will be granted to fire department and/or fire agencies upon request and is at no cost to fire department.

  • Register as a User If you are unsuccessful at logging in, please email Marie Collins for assistance or call 907-269-5625.
  • Overview of Single Sign-On: The Single Sign-on (SSO) is a feature new to eNFIRS, that places all NFIRS tools in one location, requiring just one login.
  • Forgot Username and/or Password : This video will guide your through the process to self-manage your username and/or password.
  • Creating an Incident: Step by step guide on how to create an incident in eNFIRS. 
  • Add Module: Step-by-step instructions for adding a module to an existing NFIRS report.
  • Downloading Incidents: Instructions for how to use the FBIR to create a portable document format (PDF) file to print a paper copy of an existing NFIRS report.  You can save up to 5 reported incidents at one time.
  • User Help: An overview of the resources available to provide help with eNFIRS and general NFIRS questions.

National Fire Incident Reporting System Training Opportunity

Last year, fires killed over 3,000 people, injured more than 15,000 and caused an estimated $11.5 billion in damage. Over a five-year period, the cause of ignition in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) was unknown in almost three out of every five home fire deaths, according to the United States Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association. Recognizing the reporting gap in NFIRS, the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) has launched a free, online training program for the fire service, “Understand Your Role in Fire Incident Data,” available at NASFM’s training portal at www.nasfm-training.org.

This online course takes approximately one hour. Since the training program is self-guided, it can be easily incorporated into recruit training at a fire station level and used by full-time, call and volunteer fire departments.

 

Burn Injury Reports

 

Health care professionals who initially treat or attend to a person with the following injuries shall make certain a report of the injury is made promptly to the Division of Fire and Life Safety.

  • second or third degree burns to five percent or more of a patient's body
  • a burn to a patient's upper respiratory tract or laryngeal edema due to the inhalation of super-heated air

This report shall be submitted within three working days after the person is treated.

Health care professionals include emergency medical technicians certified under AS 18.08, health aide, physician, nurse, mobile intensive care paramedic, and physician assistant, but does not include a practitioner of religious healing.

A person who, in good faith, makes a report under this section, or who participates in judicial proceedings related to a report under this section, is immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred as a result of making such a report or participating in the judicial proceedings.

Burn Reports and HIPPAA

Burn Reports to the Division of Fire and Life Safety are allowed by current HIPAA laws.

Per CFR 45 164.512(f)(1)(i) medical service providers are allowed to release patient information when that information is required by law. Alaska Statute 08.64.369 is that law. All providers of health care in Alaska are required by law to provide the information to our office.

Under the ANFIRS requirements if the injury is the result of fire the fire must be reported to the State Fire Marshal.

This information is used to identify causes of burn injuries in order to develop prevention programs. This information can also be used as part of a criminal investigation to identify person involved in arson.

Burn Injury Reports:


For further information please contact:

Marie Collins
5700 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99507
Phone: (907) 269-5625
Fax: (907) 338-4375
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