Fire departments across the United States gather and report data on fires and other incidents through the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). NFIRS provides crucial information for understanding the nature and impact of fires, aiding in the development of effective fire prevention strategies and resource allocation. However, the reliability and usefulness of NFIRS data depend on its quality. The NFIRS 2008 Data Quality Rating Criteria serve as a framework for assessing the quality of NFIRS data.

NFIRS 2008 Data Quality Rating Criteria

The NFIRS 2008 Data Quality Rating Criteria establish standards for evaluating the quality of data reported through the NFIRS system. These criteria encompass various aspects of data quality, including accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and consistency. Fire departments are responsible for adhering to these criteria to ensure that the data they submit to NFIRS meet established standards.

Key Components of the Criteria

1. Accuracy: Data accuracy refers to the correctness and reliability of the information reported. Accuracy is assessed based on the extent to which reported data reflect the actual circumstances of fire incidents. Errors or discrepancies in data entry can compromise accuracy and undermine the integrity of NFIRS data.

2. Completeness: Completeness measures the extent to which all required data elements are provided for each incident report. Missing or incomplete information can hinder the analysis of fire trends and limit the effectiveness of data-driven decision-making. Fire departments must ensure that all relevant data fields are populated accurately in NFIRS reports.

3. Timeliness: Timeliness pertains to the prompt submission of incident reports to NFIRS. Delays in reporting can impede real-time monitoring of fire activity and delay the deployment of resources for emergency response and prevention efforts. Fire departments are encouraged to submit incident reports to NFIRS in a timely manner to facilitate timely analysis and action.

4. Consistency: Consistency involves ensuring uniformity and coherence in the reporting of data across different incidents and jurisdictions. Consistent data reporting enables comparisons and trend analysis, facilitating the identification of patterns and areas for improvement in fire prevention and response strategies.

Formula for Combined (NFIRS 5 and 4.1) Base Rating for Basic Module

Calculated:
    Where (Version = "4.1" OR Version = "5.0") AND
    No aid was given AND
    Incident Type BETWEEN 100 and 173 (inclusive)

For each fire department:
    (
        Count of Property Loss = NULL +
        Count of Property Use  = NULL +
        Count of Property Use  = 000 +
        Count of Property Use  = UUU +
        Count of Incident Type = 100
    )
    Divided by the total number of department fires +
    No Dollar Loss Collected Weight* +
    No Casualties Collected Weight*

= Base Data Quality Rating

* If not collected, weight = 4

Formula for Combined (NFIRS 5 and 4.1) Data Quality Rating for Fire Module

Calculated:
    WHERE (Version = "4.1" OR Version = "5.0") AND
    No aid was given AND
    The incident type was
        A structure fire (does not include confined fires) OR
        A mobile property used as fixed structure fire OR
        A mobile property fire OR
        A vegetation fire OR
        A special outside fire OR
        A crop fire

For each fire department:
    (
        Count of Item First Ignited = NULL +
        Count of Item First Ignited = 00 +
        Count of Item First Ignited = UU +
        Count of Area of Fire Origin = NULL +
        Count of Area of Fire Origin = 00 +
        Count of Area of Fire Origin = UU +
        Count of Heat Source = NULL +
        Count of Heat Source = 00 +
        Count of Heat Source = UU +
        Count of Factor Contributing to Ignition #1 = NULL +
        Count of Factor Contributing to Ignition #1 = 00 +
        Count of Factor Contributing to Ignition #1 = UU +
        Count of Cause of Ignition = 5 +
        Count of Cause of Ignition = U +
        Count of Equipment Involved in Ignition = 000 +
        Count of Equipment Involved in Ignition = UUU
    )
    Divided by the total number of department fires

= Fire Module Data Quality Rating

Formula for Overall Data Quality Rating

Base DQ Rating + Fire Module DQ Rating = Overall Data Quality Rating

NFIRS State Average Data Quality Ratings for 2022

The lower the score, the better. The median score was about 2.

Sources: