How to Code Fireworks-Related Incidents in NERIS

Fireworks-related calls cluster around just a few dates each year — most notably Independence Day and New Year's. Because the spike is so concentrated, deliberate and consistent coding is what makes the impact of fireworks on your community measurable. This guide translates the official NERIS Navigator guidance for fireworks-related incidents into the fields you'll fill out in Command Established.

There are five common fireworks scenarios. Find yours below.

1. Fire Caused by Fireworks

A firework ignites grass, a fence, a roof, or anything else — with no injuries.

• Incident Type: Choose based on what first ignited, not the firework itself:
  • Structure involved → Fire → Structure Fire (pick the appropriate subtype)
  • Grass, brush, trash, or other outdoor material → Fire → Outside Fire (e.g., Vegetation/Grass Fire)
• Fire Cause (in the fire details module):
  • Structure fire → Explosives/Fireworks
  • Outside fire → Fireworks

Tip: The fire cause field appears in the incident's fire module once you've selected a fire incident type. Setting it is what lets you (and national analysts) quantify fireworks-caused fires later.

2. Injury From a Fire Involving Fireworks

A firework starts a fire and someone is hurt.

• Incident Types: Add two incident types to the same incident:
  1. Fire → Structure Fire or Fire → Outside Fire (based on what first ignited)
  2. Medical → Injury/Trauma → Burns/Explosion
• Fire Cause: Explosives/Fireworks (structure) or Fireworks (outside), as above
• Casualties and Rescues: Add one entry per injured person, recording:
  • Casualty type (injured non-fatal / fatal)
  • Cause of Casualty: Caught/Trapped by Fire/Explosion
• Medical Details: Add at least one patient record with patient evaluation/care — NERIS requires this for any incident with a medical incident type, and submission will be blocked without it.

Note: Command Established supports multiple incident types on a single incident — use the incident types section to add the medical type alongside the fire type. Don't create a second incident.

3. Medical Emergency Involving Fireworks (No Fire)

Someone is injured by a firework discharge, but nothing catches fire (e.g., a hand injury from a mortar).

• Incident Type: Medical → Injury/Trauma → Burns/Explosion
• Casualties and Rescues: Add an entry for each injured person with:
  • Casualty type and severity
  • Cause of Casualty: Caught/Trapped by Fire/Explosion
• Medical Details: Add at least one patient record with patient evaluation/care — required for NERIS submission on any medical incident.

Since there is no fire, no fire incident type or fire cause is recorded.

4. Citizen Complaint — Your Department IS the Code Enforcement Authority (AHJ)

Someone reports unauthorized fireworks discharge, and your fire department is the Authority Having Jurisdiction for fireworks enforcement.

• Incident Type: Public Service → Citizen Assist → Citizen Assist/Service Call
• Actions Taken: Information/Enforcement → Enforce Code Or Law

5. Citizen Complaint — Your Department is NOT the AHJ

Someone reports unauthorized fireworks discharge, but enforcement belongs to another agency (typically law enforcement).

• Incident Types: Add both:
  1. Law Enforcement → Law Enforcement Assist (this is NERIS's "Support Law Enforcement" type)
  2. Public Service → Citizen Assist → Citizen Assist/Service Call
• Actions Taken: Include Information/Enforcement → Refer To Proper AHJ

Quick Reference

Why This Matters

Consistent coding around July 4th and New Year's lets your department — and the national fire service — clearly quantify fireworks-related fires, injuries, and service demand. That data supports public education campaigns, staffing decisions for holiday weekends, and local fireworks ordinances.

Additional Resources

• The official NERIS Navigator series is published by the NERIS program.
• For help enrolling your department in NERIS, see How to Enroll Command Established in NERIS.