NASFM Foundation Seeks Fire Department Guidance Pertaining to Incident Data Collection

The National Association of State Fire Marshals Fire Research and Education Foundation (NASFM Foundation) is working on a project funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Program to better understand the reasons behind unknown causes and undetermined origins in fire incident data reporting, with the goal of developing recommendations on how high levels of unknowns in fire incident reporting can be reduced.

As part of our research, we are interested in learning what formal or informal processes fire departments have in place for communicating with their members about data collection and reporting. Please send any fire department information (including policies, guidelines or standard operating procedures if you have them) that pertains to fire incident data collection and reporting to Karen Deppa, National Association of State Fire Marshals Foundation, kdeppa@firemarshals.org, or by mail to NASFM Foundation Data Project, 1319 F St, NW, Suite 301, Washington, DC, 20004.

Responses will be aggregated and not attributed to specific individuals or organizations without prior permission. Please respond by Friday, January 18, 2013. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

NH State Fire Marshal J. William Degnan stated that his office serves on the advisory committee for this project and supports the effort. "We are working with our partners across the nation to examine the number of fires that are reported as having an undetermined or unknown cause. This a important measure in our battle to reduce the number of injuries and deaths from fire," Degnan said.