via PA Office of the State Fire Commissioner
Upcoming Deadlines At-A-Glance
- Local Level Instructor Application – Apply by 4pm on October 15, 2025
- FCEMS Grant Program – Apply by 4pm on October 20, 2025
- Unconventional Gas Well Grant (Act 13) – Apply by 4pm on November 30, 2025
- NFIRS Reporting no longer meets national reporting standards – January 1, 2026
- NFIRS goes offline – February 1, 2026
🚒PennFIRS Updates
✅ Sign up for Emergency Networking (EN)
If you haven’t already, and would like to switch to EN, you can register for an account using this form.
📊 NFIRS → NERIS Transition
Once your EN account is active, you can start recording incidents under either NERIS or NFIRS (Fire Module)
Beginning January 1, 2026, NFIRS will no longer meet national reporting standards — all departments will need to use the NERIS Module.
Only one reporting system is required for 2025 — no need to submit in both. If you are continuing in NFIRS Fire Module of EN through the end of the year, Emergency Networking will provide you instructions to export those incidents to the state with a process similar to the one followed for Emergency Reporting.
🗂 Data Migration
- ER incident data from 2015 through Aug. 2025 has been received.
- Data through Sept. 30, 2025 will be added shortly.
📥 Export Your NFIRS Data
If you’d like a copy of your NFIRS data, you can login or create a new user account on the NFIRS website to get approval to export it before the system shuts down.
⚠️ NFIRS will go offline Feb. 1, 2026.
🆔 NERIS IDs & Structure
- NERIS IDs are continuing to be established for those who were not assigned a NERIS ID. Reach out to NERIS directly to make sure your information is up to date for communications. You can submit a help desk ticket on their website if you require assistance.
- NERIS and the major software vendors are in the process of creating a Parent/ Child setup for fire departments. This mainly affects Townships and Jurisdictions that operate under 1 parent department with individual fire departments under that parent fire department. Each fire department will still receive a NERIS ID. The department will have the choice of submitting individual reports or one report on behalf of the department that will give call credit to each individual agency with a NERIS ID.
🎓 Training & Support
PennFIRS staff will host regional, in-person trainings once accounts are active—schedule coming soon!
Most reporting vendors, including Emergency Networking, are also hosting training on the new standard. Contact your vendor to learn what resources are available for you.
📬 Questions?
Use the contact form on our website — we’re here to help!
Unconventional Gas Well Fund Grant – Now Open, Apply HERE!
Deadline: November 30, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
Attention fire, EMS, and rescue organizations in Pennsylvania!
The Unconventional Gas Well Fund Grant application period is officially open.
This grant supports:
- Certifications & training
- Firefighting, EMT, rescue, or air monitoring equipment used on or related to an unconventional gas well pad emergency response
Who’s eligible?
Volunteer or career fire companies, EMS, and rescue services in counties with permitted unconventional gas drilling — or those bordering such counties.
🎓 Local Level Instructor Application Period, Apply HERE!
Deadline: October 15, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
Support the future of fire service training in Pennsylvania and become a local-level training instructor to teach suppression or non-suppression firefighter courses across the state!
🔋 National Fire Prevention Week
Now through October 11, 2025
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has chosen this year’s theme:
“Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home”
This nationwide campaign focuses on safe handling of the batteries powering many of the devices we rely on daily. Visit NFPA’s Fire Prevention Week site for resources, activities, and outreach materials:
NFPA Fire Prevention Week »