NFIRS requirement who can complete the report

[jcunningham]

I have a question regarding the authority on who within a Department can complete an incident report for NFIRS filing. There is some discussion in my area about "who" within a department can complete an incident report on a run. In the absence of an officer (i.e. a Lieutenant), can a member complete the report? Are there any statutory and/or reporting requirements that dictate that the report has to be completed by an officer?

Thanks for your help.

[Chauffeur6]

I can only speak for NY, as other states may have different requirements by law.

NYS law states that the Fire Chief is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the cause of all fires and explosions is determined and reported to the State. Who performs said functions is irrelevant. Any member designated by the Chief can sign his/her name to the report. The bottom of the NFIRS form we use has two signature boxes: Officer in Charge and Member Making Report (if different than Officer in Charge). The term "Officer in Charge" does not necessarily mean is has to be an actual Officer of the dept, again it can be any designate of the Chief in his absence. In many cases the senior-most firefighter acts as the OIC in the absence of the Chief or dept/company officers.

Bottom line: As long as the report is properly completed and filed with the State, no...it does not matter who signs the bottom of it.

[Eng34FF]

We have always done it much like Chauffer. Whoever was in command of the incident, or riding the officer seat if in another first due, was responsible for completing the report. That may be the chief down to a firefighter. Often for simple reports, the chief or officer may assign somebody else to do the report.

[BoxAlarm187]

We're same as Chauffer and Eng34. It doesn't have to be an officer per se, just whomever is in charge or riding the front seat of the first responding apparatus.