The Carmel (IN) Fire Department (CFD) received Accredited Agency Status from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) during the Fire Rescue International Conference in Chicago, Illinois, held August 14 and 15. The international accreditation is a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation model that enables organizations to examine past, current, and future service levels and internal performance and compare them to industry best practices worldwide. This process leads to improved service delivery. The Carmel Fire Department is now one of only three fire departments in Indiana to be accredited. It is a very arduous process that touches all aspects of fire safety services.
“I’m proud of the diligence the fire department has shown in order to get through the long intensive process of self-assessment required for accreditation. Not only have they proved their willingness to continuously improve as a city department, they have shown commitment to provide the best services to Carmel,” said Mayor Jim Brainard.
The CFD worked with the Center of Public Safety Excellence, Inc. (CPSE) to help guide them on ways they can streamline and improve the services they provide to our community. The CPSE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a host of programs including accreditation for fire and emergency service agencies and professional designations for senior-level fire and emergency service officers. The CPSE offers a variety of workshops, designed specifically for fire and emergency service agencies and geared to aid emergency personnel in their quest for continuous quality improvement.
“This accreditation took years of dedication and it would not have been possible without the hard work and long hours of the sworn firefighters, civilian staff and previous administrations of the Carmel Fire Department. We are committed to continuing the practices learned throughout the accreditation process to serve the community with the highest standards,” said Carmel Fire Chief Matt Hoffman.
CPSE‘s Accreditation Program, leads to improved service delivery by helping fire departments to:
- Determine community risk and safety needs.
- Evaluate the performance of the department.
- Establish a method for achieving continuous organizational improvement.
Local government executives face increasing pressure to “do more with less” and justify their expenditures by demonstrating a direct link to improved or expanded services. Particularly for emergency services, local officials need criteria to assess professional performance and efficiency. The CFAI accreditation process provides a well-defined, internationally-recognized benchmark system to measure the quality of fire and emergency services.
