After a nearly four-year process, the Westminster Fire Department officially received its internationally acclaimed accreditation status through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) on Thursday, Aug. 8.

It was also during this process that the department also attained the highest Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating that a fire and emergency service organization can achieve, ISO Class 1. Of the 266 accredited agencies in the United States, only 77 agencies have achieved the top rating of ISO Class 1.

“None of this could have been possible without the cooperation and collaboration throughout the city,” said Fire Chief Doug Hall. “The process from start to finish required dedicated management and leadership, thoroughly reviewing the department’s policies, procedures, and operations.”

Receiving this status marks an incredible milestone on the department’s continued path to follow industry best practices and commitment to provide exemplary service to the community.

“While our department receives the accolades, it is the community that reaps the benefits of high quality fire and EMS services,” said Hall.

The CFAI accreditation process is voluntary, and provides an improvement model to assess service delivery and performance internally and then works with a team of peers from other agencies to evaluate the agency’s self-assessment.

Accreditation also offers an independent verification and validation of the department’s operations through tangible data that demonstrate its efforts. With the fire department embracing this model, it establishes a department-wide culture for continuous quality improvement.