Fire Department Accreditation and Self Assessment Overview

1. Fire Department Accreditation and Self Assessment Overview Chris Riley, Fire Chief, City of Pueblo & President, CSFCA

2. 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

3. “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.” Who is the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) ?

5. 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

6. 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

7. How good is your department?

8. How do you measure itfor credibility?

9. Can you prove it?

10. 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.”

11. 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

12. Other accreditation examples • JCAHO • CALEA • APCO • Universities • Park Service

13. What is the Process for Accreditation? Four main stages: • Applicant • Receive Fire & Emergency Service Self Assessment Manual and supporting documents • 18 mos to complete the self assessment • Registered • Access to CFAI network • Receives CFAI newsletter • Discounts on CFAI publications • Accreditation Candidate • After agency has completed the self assessment • CFAI will assign the peer assessment team • Agency conducts Peer site visit • Accredited • After the Commission grants accreditation • On the 5th anniversary, Agency submits the application for re-accreditation

14. 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

15. Self Assessment - Categories Self-conducted performance evaluations of the following 10 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

16. 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

17. Self Assessment – Core Competencies Core Competency • An area where an agency must respond when undergoing the actual accreditation process • Considered fire protection basic practices • All77 Core Competencies must be responded to and approved by the Peer Assessor team to be Accredited

18. 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

19. 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!!

20. Steps for Writing Responses • 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. • Assign a person to review the Research and Information Collection Guide for the entire Category. • Assign specific Performance Indicators to staff members with knowledge or expertise in that area.

21. Steps for Writing Responses • 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. • Evaluate and analyze this information. Identify rates of change, direction of change, nature of change, reasons for change, and amounts of change. • Interpret the data as information. • Prepare a plan statement about what to do with what you know.

22. 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

23. The “Big Four” (or, how to begin) • Risk Assessment • Goals & Objectives • Standard of Cover • Strategic Plan

24. Risk Assessment • A comprehensive risk assessment must be conducted • Include all fire and non-fire risks • Publish risk assessment results

25. Goals & Objectives • Develop a formal goals and objectives program • Include all functional areas of the organization • Obtain employee buy-in

26. 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

27. 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?

28. 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

29. 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

30. Questions/Comments? Chief Chris Riley Work: 719.553.2830, Cell: 719.248.2683 criley@pueblo.us Paul Cooke, Executive Director, CSFCA Cell: 303.919.2721 Paul@coloradofirechiefs.org