Schaumburg Fire Department Awarded International Accreditation Status

The Schaumburg Fire Department is pleased to announce it has received Accredited Agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) to become one of about 240 agencies in the nation to achieve the elite distinction.

Accreditation is an assessment process that uses benchmarks to measure the delivery of fire and emergency services with the ultimate goal of providing continuous quality improvement and improved service to the community. Schaumburg joins about 10 other agencies in Illinois that have received accreditation status.

CFAI is dedicated to assisting fire and emergency service agencies throughout the world in achieving excellence through self-assessment and accreditation. The CFAI process is voluntary and provides an agency with an improvement model to assess its service delivery and performance internally, after which it works with a team of peers from other agencies to evaluate its completed self-assessment. Schaumburg's process toward accreditation began in the summer of 2014 under former Fire Chief Dave Schumann with the final components completed in December of 2017.

"Achieving Accredited Agency status helps the Schaumburg Fire Department determine the risk and safety needs of the community," said Schaumburg Fire Chief Jim Walters. "The work that has been accomplished by our staff will allow us to internally evaluate the performance and efficiency of our department. As a result, this self-assessment tool will provide continuous information about how we can align ourselves to always meet industry best practices."

Agencies become accredited after peer review of their accreditation documents, completion of an onsite assessment, and participation in a public hearing, which occurred March 13, before the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. Accredited agencies are often described as being community-focused, data-driven, outcome-focused, strategic-minded, well organized, properly equipped, and properly staffed and trained. Schaumburg's accreditation is valid for five years.

"The Schaumburg Fire Department now joins the Schaumburg Police Department and the Engineering & Public Works Department as another accredited department serving our village," said Village Manager Brian Townsend. "These departments have completed additional measures to increase accountability and adopt best practices in delivering services to the community."

The Schaumburg Fire Department provides suppression and emergency medical services to a daytime population of 150,000. Operating from five fire stations, 120 shift personnel respond to more than 9,100 calls a year. For more information about the Schaumburg Fire Department, visit the website at http://bit.ly/2fmxe8t.