1 fire department accreditation and self assessment overview chris riley, fire chief, city of pueblo...
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Fire Department Accreditation and Self Assessment Overview
Chris Riley, Fire Chief, City of Pueblo
& President, CSFCA
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What is Accreditation?
Comprehensive fire and emergency service evaluation
— Method of measuring a fire department’s performance
Overseen by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI)
— Founded in 1996— Governed by a five-member board— General organizational operation by an 11 member
commission
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Who is the Center for
Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) ?
“A non-profit organization dedicated
to the improvement of fire
and emergency service agencies
through self-assessment, accreditation, professional credentialing,
emergency management facilitation
and other programs.”
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Provision of Services -- Quandary
Do more with less Increased expenditures require expanded
services Accountability for level and quality of service No nationally accepted set of performance
criteria
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Why conduct evaluation of fire service programs?
When you are trying to cope with change
To provide for periodic evaluation to ensure safe operations
When there is a change in leadership
To raise the level of professionalism
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How good is your department?
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How do you measure itfor credibility?
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Can you prove it?
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Management Quandary
“Management in today’s fire service
might be characterized as being
a twenty-five year job,
with a ten-year strategic plan,
five-year tenure, and
a one-year appropriation.”
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Benefits of Conducting aSelf Assessment Process
Promotes excellence within the agency Encourages quality improvement continuously Provides an evaluation of the agency and services Identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses Provides a means for agency growth Provide a system for international recognition Provides a mechanism for developing concurrent
documents such as strategic plans, risk assessments, written standards of cover, desk top manual
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Other accreditation examples
JCAHO CALEA APCO Universities Park Service
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What is the Process for Accreditation?
1. Registered— Access to CFAI network— Receives CFAI newsletter— Discounts on CFAI
publications
Four main stages:
4. Accredited— After the Commission
grants accreditation— On the 5th anniversary,
Agency submits the application for re-accreditation
3. Accreditation Candidate— After agency has completed
the self assessment— CFAI will assign the peer
assessment team— Agency conducts Peer site
visit
2. Applicant— Receive Fire &
Emergency Service Self Assessment Manual and supporting documents
— 18 mos to complete the self assessment
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Steps to Accreditation
Agency completes Self-Assessment document On-site peer assessment is conducted Assessment team submits final report to agency
and CFAI with recommendation CFAI hears report from team leader with agency
representative present CFAI awards or defers Accreditation
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Self Assessment - Categories
Governance and Administration
Assessment and Planning
Goals and Objectives Financial Resources Programs
Physical Resources Human Resources Training and
Competency Essential Resources External Systems
Relationships
Self-conducted performance evaluations of the following 10 categories:
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Self Assessment – Performance Indicators
Each Category includes a number of criterion (45 total) and performance indicators (total of 244)
Some criterion may not be applicable if your agency does not provide the service, i.e., Marine and Shipboard Firefighting
Performance indicators define the areas where an agency can demonstrate they are addressing criterion
Some performance indicators are designated as Core Competencies (77 of the 244 performance indicators
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Self Assessment – Core Competencies
An area where an agency must respond when undergoing the actual accreditation process
Considered fire protection basic practices All 77 Core Competencies must be
responded to and approved by the Peer Assessor team to be Accredited
Core Competency
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Self Assessment – Performance Indicator Responses
Consists of four parts— Description
– What an agency has done to meet the intent of the Performance Indicators or Criterion
— Appraisal– How well the agency thinks that current activities
meet the needs of the item— Plan
– Future plans in responding to the intent of the item and noted improvements
— Reference– A list citing the supporting exhibit(s) used
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Self Assessment - Exhibits
Back up responses to Performance Indicators with proof - exhibits
Exhibits— Any document from a variety of media that
– Chronicles a requirement E.g., A contract that details the scope of work contracted for to
correct a deficient water supply due to main size
– Demonstrates compliance to a requirement E.g., Inspection and test results of hydrants along the replaced
section of fire main
— Standard Operating Procedures– You must be doing what you say you are doing!!
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Steps for Writing Responses
1. Assign staff members to review the Categories, Criteria, and Performance Indicators to get a feel for the overall system. Use internal expertise to respond to specific areas.
2. Assign a person to review the Research and Information Collection Guide for the entire Category.
3. Assign specific Performance Indicators to staff members with knowledge or expertise in that area.
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Steps for Writing Responses
4. Have staff WRITE what they have learned about your department’s level of activity. Exhibits that have been found, observation, pertinent facts, and other details.
5. Evaluate and analyze this information. Identify rates of change, direction of change, nature of change, reasons for change, and amounts of change.
6. Interpret the data as information.
7. Prepare a plan statement about what to do with what you know.
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Peer Assessment
Purpose of Peer Review:— To verify information provided by the agency’s Self-
Assessment team in the documentation— To formulate well-rounded team findings, opinions, and
recommendations regarding the credibility of an agency to meet its mission
Agency is responsible to prove compliance with requirements for Accreditation
Assessment team validates the proof provided
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The “Big Four” (or, how to begin)
Risk Assessment
Goals & Objectives
Standard of Cover
Strategic Plan
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Risk Assessment
A comprehensive risk assessment must be conducted
Include all fire and non-fire risks Publish risk assessment results
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Goals & Objectives
Develop a formal goals and objectives program
Include all functional areas of the organization
Obtain employee buy-in
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Standard of Cover
Developed from risk assessment and goals & objectives program
Public document that defines level of service to the staff, line fire fighters and the public
Service Level Objectives Fractional vs average times
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Strategic Plan
Typically a 5-year plan, that addresses:
Where are we going? How do we get there? What is our blueprint for action? How do we know if we are on track?
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Time to Begin!
Assign Accreditation Manager Form Teams Assign Performance Indicators and Core
Competencies Begin the process of writing Accreditation Manager reads/approves them all Fire Chief review
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Commission Meeting
The Commission meets twice a year— Fire Rescue International Meeting— Spring Meeting
Peer Assessment visit should be completed two months prior to the Commission meeting
Typically, the chief, accreditation manager, and a member of city government attend
— Accredited vs. Deferred
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Questions/Comments?
Chief Chris Riley
Work: 719.553.2830, Cell: 719.248.2683
Paul Cooke, Executive Director, CSFCA
Cell: 303.919.2721