Are Fire Reports Public Record?

ZenTrades

Are Fire Reports Public Record?

ZenFire
August 27, 2024
5 Min Read

Fire incidents, unfortunately, are a common occurrence in the United States, causing extreme havoc and damage, not to mention loss of lives. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in 2022, fire departments responded to a fire somewhere in the US every 21 seconds. In the same year, local fire departments responded to an estimated 1.5 million fires in the US, which caused 3,790 casualties with over 13,250 civilian fire injuries. The property damage caused by these accidents was estimated at $18 billion.

The answer to your question, as to why you clicked on this blog, is generally yes! Fire reports are public and can be easily accessed online. However, it does come with certain conditions and exceptions. For many reasons, stakeholders would want to request public records, like fire incident reports. These range from improving fire codes and policies to obtaining insurance claims, improving emergency response, and helping analysts and researchers identify trends and minimize accidents due to repeated similar circumstances.

Keep reading to the end of the blog to learn more about how to access fire department public records such as incident reports online!

Understanding Fire Incident Reports

Subsequent to a fire disaster or a hazardous materials incident, fire departments or appointed fire personnel create a document enlisting the different information tabs that pertain to the nitty-gritty of the incident. These reports, also known as fire incident reports, serve as valuable information to gather insights on the accident, such as the cause of the fire, damages incurred, and the immediate prevention and protection responses.

Fire incident reports act as a valuable tool not just for fire departments but also for other various professionals in the fire industry, like researchers and fire policymakers. These reports help them identify trends and patterns and, based on that, curate better mitigation and fire prevention strategies. It aids in updating fire codes and policies to meet the potential dangers in today’s time and avoid causes that contributed to fire disasters previously.

A fire incident report usually comprises the date and time of the incident, the type of accident, its causes, damage assessment, injuries and fatalities, response details, witness quotes, fire impression efforts, and investigation findings.

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Accessing Fire Department Records

Every time a fire incident occurs, fire departments create a detailed report that they need to submit to the National Fire Reporting System (NFIRS) for data collection and analysis. The NFIRS is a voluntary reporting standard that fire departments use to report their activities uniformly. This includes various fire-related emergencies, medical services, weather, and natural disasters.

California Public Records Act (CPRA)

Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), the public can access fire reports and records held by fire departments and state and government agencies. This act permits individuals to request and obtain copies of fire incident reports and other related documents, enabling transparency and accountability at the state and local levels.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

The Freedom of Information Act (FIOA) is a federal law that provides the public the right to request and access reports and records by any federal agency. Records for accidents or fire incidents related to federal agencies or occurring on federal grounds can be requested through FOIA.

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Steps To Access Fire Department Records

The first step to accessing your fire department reports, and records is determining which agency you need to get your report from. Utilizing CPRA and FIOA, individuals can access fire incident records from both state and federal levels.

For California State And Local Records

California public records are easily available upon request via CPRA. To request for a report, here are the suggested steps:

Identify the agency: Knowing the fire department or local government that holds your report is imperative.

Submit a written request: Provide a written request to CPRA outlining the required information, such as the date, time, and nature of the incident.

Follow-up: The time limit is usually within ten days of submitting the report, but it can take longer depending on exceptional cases and situations of report inaccessibility.

For Federal Records

For record requests of fire reports from federal agencies or records of fire incidents occurring on federal property, you need to reach out to FOIA. Here are the recommended steps

Identify the agency: Pinpoint the federal agency that holds your report.

Submit a written request: Place a request to FIOA mentioning the records you are trying to access or obtaining copies of. Make sure to input all necessary details like location, date, time, cause, nature of the incident.

Follow-up: Accessing reports and records from FIOA requires a longer request processing time with complex processes. They usually respond within 20 days, but can be longer incase of complex record request.

You can contact or ask your local fire department or request fire personnel to assist you with any additional information to access your fire incident records.