"The Amarillo Fire Department has received Accredited Agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) for meeting the criteria established through the CFAI’s voluntary self-assessment and accreditation program. The Amarillo Fire Department was recognized as an Accredited Agency on August 8, 2018 during Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) hearings taking place in Dallas, TX this week. This exceptional achievement has been reached by just 150 of the 2,700 career fire departments in the nation. The Department is the 8th in Texas to become CFAI accredited.
The CFAI improvement model requires fire departments to assess service delivery and performance to enhance operational and support programs. The results are reported through several required documents: a community driven strategic plan, a community risk analysis coupled with a standards of cover that details emergency response protocols, and a criteria-driven self-assessment manual. Each document is evaluated by a CFAI peer team who validates that the department's processes and policies meet international accreditation requirements.
Deputy Chief Marc Lusk states that the agency’s Accredited Agency status demonstrates the commitment of the Amarillo Fire Department to protect our community by providing the highest quality of compassionate and professional services. "We are using the accreditation process to proactively plan for the future and to locate areas where we can improve on the quality of the services we provide.” Lusk said that several issues identified during the accreditation's process of self-analysis are already being addressed. "For instance, the first goal of the Department's strategic plan is to improve internal communications. We addressed this by recruiting over 30 members, who represented all firefighter ranks and civilian positions, to assist with researching and writing the standards of cover and self-assessment manual. Also, the department's monthly staff meeting minutes are now published for all employees to review. These changes allow each member of the Department to understand and have input in the decisions that continually advance the quality of services we provide to the community. When all members of the organization can contribute to the improvement of departmental operations, the citizens benefit with a higher level of customer service."
Lusk added, "The Amarillo Fire Department has made a commitment to attain the highest levels of fire service standards. The fact that we have received this recognition does not mean we have completed a project, it means that we have achieved the first step on the pathway leading to a more effective and efficient public service agency.""
-City of Amarillo
