In December 2020, the Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) engaged with the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Technical Advisor Program (TAP) to pursue international accreditation. This model of accreditation entails a department-wide self-assessment process with the goal of continual improvement. The self-assessment involves both internal and external stakeholder input to develop data-driven goals and objectives to help AFD provide mission-focused service delivery to the residents, business owners, and visitors of the City of Alexandria. It also promotes transparency, accountability, and consistency throughout the Department.

VIEW: Alexandria Fire Department 2022-2027 Strategic Plan

The CPSE began in 1986 as a not-for-profit joint venture between the International City/County Management Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) to develop a model of continuous improvement for fire and emergency service agencies. The CPSE later became the parent organization of two entities: the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) was established to award accreditation to fire and emergency service agencies internationally, and the Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) to award professional designation to individual fire officers for recognition of career achievements and their commitment to continual self-improvement as well as improvement of the fire service.

Additional benefits of the accreditation process include an enhanced community relationship, identification of strengths and weaknesses, establishment of goals and objectives through strategic planning, and continual self-assessment. By going through this process, AFD will:

• Develop a community-based risk assessment specific to the City of Alexandria
• Develop standards of cover specific to the City of Alexandria based on our risk assessment
• Develop a Community Driven Strategic Plan
• Conduct a department-wide self-assessment, during which we will write to 250 performance statements based on 11 topics including, but not limited to: 

1. financial planning and practices
2. resource deployment and response times
3. department and community resiliency
4. recruitment and retention
5. training and professional development
6. employee health and safety

Upon completion of all the steps, we will be assessed by an independent team of our peers from other emergency service agencies from around the nation to determine if our practices, policies, and procedures meet the requirements to go before the CFAI Commission for further review and a determination on international accreditation. If approved, the accreditation is valid for a five-year term. AFD is projected to go before the CFAI Commission in September 2023.

As an additional benefit of accreditation process, we have several personnel in the department who have completed the training to become peer assessors. This training allows them to participate as members of peer assessment teams and work with other fire and emergency service leaders from across the nation to ensure the candidate agency is ready to go before the CFAI Commission for a determination on accredited status. This valuable process provides knowledge of and exposure to different programs other agencies have implemented to help them achieve their goals and objectives. Our department then can review these programs to determine if they may be beneficial to our community in some form. It also provides a pathway for staff to give back to the fire service to advance the industry. AFD has four personnel who have participated in this process.

Currently, less than 15% of the fire and emergency service agencies in the nation are accredited. By obtaining international accreditation, AFD will ensure it is operating to industry best practices and is doing its part to help the City of Alexandria become a High Performing Organization with highly trained and educated personnel.