Fire RMS
The fire department records management system built around your department
RedAlert keeps every record your department runs on, from incident reports and NERIS submissions to attendance, training, truck checks, and inspections, in one system with one database. Built in Rochester, NY since 1994 and used by more than 1,000 fire departments.
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Trusted by 1,000+ fire departments
What is a fire RMS?
A fire RMS, or fire department records management system, is the software a department uses to keep its records: incident reports, personnel and training files, attendance, apparatus and equipment, preplans, and inspections. A good one also connects to dispatch, submits NERIS reports, and turns those records into the reports your chief, your board, and your ISO reviewer ask for.
Every record, in one place
- Incident reports and NERISTemplates, one-click narratives, and validation before submission.
- Dispatch dataYour CAD fills in the report so nobody retypes it.
- Attendance and award programsLOSAP, stipend, pay-per-call, and point tracking.
- Personnel and schedulingOne member record, shift rotations, and payroll reports.
- Training and certificationsCourse records and expiration warnings before anything lapses.
- Apparatus and equipmentTruck checks, SCBA, hose testing, and work orders.
- Preplans and propertiesHazards and site plans on the rig before arrival.
- HydrantsFlow tests, inspections, and out-of-service status on the map.
- Inspections and investigationsProperty inspections, permits, and court-ready investigations.
- Alerting and responseWho was alerted, who responded, and when.
- DocumentsSOPs, certificates, and files attached to the records they belong to.
- ReportsHundreds built in, plus the custom ones we build with you.
Wondering which records your department is required to keep? See Fire Department Reporting & Records.
Most departments don't have one RMS. They have six different systems.
Before: a records system for incident reports, an alerting app, a spreadsheet for attendance points, a binder for truck checks, a calendar for scheduling, and a separate inspection program. Six logins, six copies of your roster, and every report stitched together by hand.
After: one database. Add a member once, and that record drives their alerting, check-ins, training file, and response history. A failed truck check opens a work order. A hazard an inspector writes up shows on the screen at the next call to that address.
That is what makes the hard questions answerable in one report: who responded to the last forty structure fires, which members are ninety days from a lapsed certification, and how many hours of coverage the department documented last year.
Your CAD feeds RedAlert. RedAlert does the rest.
1. Dispatch drops the call.
Your dispatch center's CAD sends the call to RedAlert the moment it goes out.
2. The report starts itself.
Call times, units, address, call type, and dispatcher notes fill in your incident report automatically.
3. The call shows up in the rig.
The MDT shows the dispatch data alongside your own mapping: hydrants, preplans, and the points of interest your department has plotted.
4. NERIS goes out clean.
Officers finish the narrative, validation catches errors before submission, and RedAlert submits directly to NERIS.
After the call, the same record feeds attendance, training hours, and every report your chief asks for.
What to ask any fire RMS vendor, and how we answer
| Question to ask | Why it matters | RedAlert's answer |
|---|---|---|
| Is it NERIS Certified, and does it submit directly? | Federal reporting, and grant eligibility, depend on it | Yes. NERIS Certified and listed on the Fire Safety Research Institute's integration partners page, with validation before every submission |
| Does it connect to our dispatch center's CAD? | Without it, officers retype what dispatch already has | Yes. We build the interface to whatever CAD your dispatch center runs, and help you have the conversation with dispatch |
| Can our crews use it in the field? | Reports, checks, and preplans happen away from a desk | Yes. The Responder App on every phone, the MDT on apparatus tablets, and RedAlert Mobile for truck checks and field reports |
| Can we change it ourselves? | No two departments run the same way | Yes. Add fields, forms, and workflows to any record, and our team builds custom reports with you |
| Does it track LOSAP, stipends, or pay-per-call? | When attendance pays members, the record has to hold up | Yes, built to your rules, with verified check-in at the RedAlert Kiosk after the call |
| What happens to our historical data? | Years of history should not be left behind | We migrate it, including NFIRS history, and reconcile it against your old system before go-live |
| How long does switching take, and who runs it? | A stalled implementation costs a year | Typically 90 to 120 days, with a dedicated project lead in Rochester and weekly meetings until you are live |
| Who answers the phone? | Support quality decides whether problems get fixed | Our own team in Rochester, NY, in the same building as the engineers who build RedAlert |
| Do we have to buy everything at once? | Bundles mean paying for what you never use | No. RedAlert is priced per module, so you start with what you need and add more later on the same database |
| What are the contract terms? | Terms decide what year two and three cost | Annual contracts |
For a deeper walkthrough of how to evaluate vendors, read Choosing the Right Fire Department Records Management System.
Hear it from departments running it
- 1,000+ fire departments
- 200,000+ first responders
- 30+ years in the fire service
- Rochester, NY engineering and support
"The key differentiator is the ability to customize RedAlert to our needs. Other vendors promise customization, but RedAlert is the best incident response software!"
"Alpine delivered on every promise: customized reports, seamless data migration, and a system that's simple to use. Implementation was quick and easy!"
Switching your RMS, without losing a record
1. One project lead, start to finish.
A dedicated project lead in Rochester owns your rollout and meets with your team every week until you are live.
2. All of your data, migrated.
An Alpine engineer does the migration legwork, so your team can focus on running the department.
3. Your history, reconciled.
Incidents, personnel, inspections, and equipment records are checked against your old system before go-live.
4. Set up the way you work, and live.
RedAlert is configured to your workflows, forms, and reports, and most departments are live in 90 to 120 days.
Comparing fire RMS vendors?
See how RedAlert compares to ESO, First Due, ImageTrend, Emergency Networking, and EPR FireWorks.
What is a fire RMS?
A fire RMS, or fire department records management system, is the software a department uses to keep its records: incident reports, personnel and training files, attendance, apparatus and equipment, preplans, and inspections. A good one also connects to dispatch, submits NERIS reports, and produces the reports your chief, board, and ISO reviewer ask for.
What is the difference between a fire RMS and CAD?
CAD, or computer-aided dispatch, is the system your dispatch center uses to take calls and send units. A fire RMS is where your department keeps its records of those calls and everything else it does. With a CAD interface, the dispatch data flows into the RMS automatically, so your incident reports start themselves.
Is a fire RMS the same as NERIS?
No. NERIS is the national system that receives fire incident data. A fire RMS creates and submits your NERIS reports, and also keeps the attendance, training, equipment, and inspection records NERIS does not. For more on what NERIS requires, see Fire Department Reporting & Records.
How much does a fire RMS cost?
It depends on your department's size and the modules you need. RedAlert is priced per module, so you start with what you need and add more later. You will get a real range on your first call rather than waiting on a proposal.
How long does it take to switch fire RMS vendors?
Most departments are live on RedAlert in 90 to 120 days, with a dedicated project lead in Rochester running the implementation and weekly meetings with your team.
What happens to our historical data?
It comes with you. Alpine's team migrates your records from your current system, including NFIRS history, personnel, properties, and equipment, and reconciles them against the old system before go-live.
Do volunteer departments need a fire RMS?
Yes. NERIS reporting applies to every U.S. fire department, and volunteer departments also need attendance, training, and equipment records that hold up. Most of RedAlert's 1,000+ departments are volunteer or combination departments, and LOSAP, stipend, and pay-per-call tracking are built in.
Is RedAlert NERIS Certified?
Yes. RedAlert is NERIS Certified and listed on the Fire Safety Research Institute's integration partners page. If your department fell behind, we also convert NFIRS records you could not submit.
See every record your department keeps, in one system
A real walkthrough with a real person, shaped around how your department runs.
Call (585) 264-9080.