Mission and Responsibilities
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire Department Services Division is responsible for duties that include administration and oversight for all fire and non-fire data collected through the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and related data analysis and fire department training, evaluation of fire departments and the coordination and issuance of emergency vehicle permits for all West Virginia fire departments and certain other entities.
Beneficiary Designation Form
Beneficiary Designation Form for WV Death Benefit
Emergency Vehicle Permits (EVPS)
Please note:
- No EVPs will be issued without the Fire Chief's approval/signature on the proper application form (see below).
- EVPs for personally owned vehicles (POVs) are for vehicles with Class A plates.
- EVPs that are no longer valid should be listed as "VOID" by the Fire Chief on documents sent to the Fire Department Services Division.
- EVPs that are no longer valid should be returned to this office if possible, along with the form marked and signed by the Chief to "void" that permit.
- All applications for EVPs must include current copies of insurance and registration.
- Temporary registration cards are not acceptable for privately owned vehicles (POVs).
To apply for an EVP for a street legal Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which includes all-terrain vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, minitrucks, and pneumatic-tired military vehicles, the SPV must be agency owned and meet the requirements outlined in West Virginia Code §17A-13-1. You can apply for a Special Purpose Vehicle Certification through the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Once that has been obtained, you can fill out the Apparatus Emergency Vehicle Permit Application below.
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)
Emergency Vehicle Permit Application - Apparatus (Online and mobile friendly)
Emergency Vehicle Permit Application - Apparatus (Paper form)
Emergency Vehicle Permit Application - Personally Owned Vehicle [POV] (Online and mobile friendly)
Emergency Vehicle Permit Application - Personally Owned Vehicle [POV] (Paper form)
Fire Department List
Fire Service Emergency Response Guides and Tool Kits
2015 Edition Pipeline Emergency Response Guidelines
Fire Department Pipeline Response, Emergency Planning and Preparedness-Toolkit
High Hazard Flammable Trains (HHFT) On-Scene Incident Commander Field Guide
ISO Mitigation Online
Pipeline Information and Free Training Opportunities
Fire Service Codes, Policies, Rules, and Standards
Funding Applications and Department Documentation
Reminder:
The 3rd digit (00000) of your FDID# determines your department type. 1 is volunteer, 2 is career, and 3 is part-paid. Make sure you are filling out the correct application.
As soon as you click Submit, our office is in possession of your application. You will receive a receipt by email, at the fire department's email address, stating that your application was received.
If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check your junk/spam folder. This will save you time from having to email or make a phone call to check the status. 2025 Funding and Certification Applications are due no later than 01/31/2025.
Applications (mobile friendly)
1. 2025 Certification and Disbursement Application for Insurance Premium Tax Money for Volunteer Departments
2. 2025 Certification of Career Departments
3. 2025 Certification and Disbursement Application for Insurance Premium Tax Money for Part-Paid Departments
Department Documentation (mobile friendly)
Department Bylaws (must be signed and dated)
Department ISO Rating (please include letter And report)
Department Maps and Mutual Aid Agreements
Department Meeting Nights
Department Roster (Names, ranks, phone numbers)
Junior Firefighters
Junior Firefighter Dos and Don'ts
Fire Marshal's Memorandum Concerning Child Labor Rules
Approved Training Courses for Junior Firefighters
NERIS
Onboarding into WV NERIS (plugging you into the system) will begin on September 2, 2025. This is a firm date, barring technical difficulties.
What do I need to do to get ready for onboarding?
To prepare for onboarding, please gather all the information outlined in the NERIS - Fire Department Onboarding Prep Instructions document. This document has been distributed and posted multiple times since December, so you should already have the necessary information assembled.
Our office/NERIS will contact you when it is your turn to onboard. We kindly ask for your patience, and request that you refrain from calling or emailing to inquire about your onboarding schedule, as you will be contacted directly when the time comes.
Once you have been onboarded, please review your department's information for accuracy. This especially includes verifying your first due map. If you discover an error, please contact NERIS for instructions and/or corrections.
Please note that reporting into WV NERIS will begin on December 1, 2025 for All departments. This will include logging all run records for all incident types and applies to those departments using third-party software, as well.
Please ensure that all NFIRS reports have been entered/uploaded into the NFIRS system prior to onboarding. This will establish a clear cutoff point for that software. In other words, January through August will be entered into NFIRS, September through December will be entered into NERIS.
More information will be coming out as it becomes available. Our website (firemarshal.wv.gov) is ground zero for all things NERIS and NFIRS.
Due to ongoing technicalities, I have opted for this method: 1st - Website (ground zero), 2nd - Email to fire department email address from funding applications (courtesy), 3rd - Slack app (courtesy).
It is your responsibility to check the website often for updates, as the opportunity to connect by email and Slack may, at times, be unavailable due to technical difficulties.
NFIRS
We're onboarding into NERIS, but what about NFIRS?
NFIRS has been around for 50 years and now the entire country is switching over to NERIS. This is a critical time in our reporting history. It is extremely important that you follow the reporting schedule as follows and stay current and valid:
All reports from January 2025 through August 2025 must be entered exclusively into NFIRS. We kindly request that you begin entering these reports as soon as possible to ensure timely completion. Please have them entered into NFIRS prior to December 1st.
It is important that all reports are valid, as we have a very limited timeframe for corrections before NFIRS is completely shut down.
This change in reporting is a result of a mandatory system switch and is not related to your funding. Your cooperation with this transition schedule is greatly appreciated.
Once NERIS goes live there should only be September through December entered into NERIS.
Personnel Certifications
2025 Fire Chief Certification Application (For Chiefs who took office between 01/01/2025 and 12/31/2025)
Fire Chief Affidavit (to be included with Fire Chief Certification)
Temporary Fire Officer Application
West Virginia Firefighter Certification Repository
West Virginia Firefighter Certification Repository Instructions
West Virginia Approved Fire Service Training Courses and Resources
WV Career Fire Service Approved Training Courses
WV Junior Fire Service Approved Training Courses
WV Volunteer Fire Service Approved Training Courses
Fire Apparatus Driver-Operator Modular Training Enrollment Form - Department
Fire Apparatus Driver-Operator Modular Training Enrollment Form - Individual
Modular Training Enrollment Form - Department
Modular Training Enrollment Form - Individual
Safety Guidelines for Water Rescue Training
Divisional Email Address: sfmfds@wv.gov (goes to all division members)
(To Fire Departments: The Full name of your fire department is required in the subject line of all emails for identification purposes.
Do Not abbreviate your fire department name. ie: bvfd.)
Staff Listing
Division Director
David "Mark" Stewart, Deputy State Fire Marshal
(304) 558-2191
email David.M.Stewart@wv.gov
Field Personnel
Assistant State Fire Marshal - Bradley Scott
(304) 558-2191, Ext. 20757
email Bradley.R.Scott@wv.gov
Office Personnel
Alice Morrison
Data Analyst I
NFIRS State Program Manager
NERIS State Lead
(304) 558-2191, Ext. 20751
(304) 352-0751 Direct Line
email Alice.K.Morrison@wv.gov
Malena Boggess
Regulatory Licensing Support Specialist II
NFIRS Support Technician
(304) 558-2191, Ext. 20758
email Malena.L.Boggess@wv.gov