Who is generally responsible for completing an NFIRS report?

• A. The incident commander
• B. The first arriving officer for each response
• C. The dispatcher
• D. The senior firefighter on scene

Answer: (B)

NFIRS reporting is an on-scene documentation task, and the person who first arrives and assumes command is best positioned to start and guide that process. This officer is on the scene long enough to observe conditions, confirm the incident type, identify units and resources used, and begin collecting essential facts like location, injuries, property loss, and probable cause. Starting the report while the details are fresh helps ensure accuracy and consistency across incidents, and the on-scene officer can delegate data entry or follow-up as needed while maintaining accountability for the report. The dispatcher provides call information, but they don’t typically complete the NFIRS report. The senior firefighter on scene or the incident commander may be involved, but the responsibility for initiating and overseeing the report rests with the first arriving officer who assumes command.