Schaumburg Fire Department receives reaccreditation

The Schaumburg Fire Department has received reaccreditation status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International for the second time, keeping the fire service in a select group of 10 agencies in Illinois with that recognition.

Accreditation is an assessment process that uses bench marks to measure the delivery of fire and emergency services, with the goal of providing continuous quality improvement and improved service to the community.

"Our fire department is committed to providing the highest possible standard of care and it is important that we continually evaluate our performance so that we can best meet the needs of the community," Fire Chief Jim Walters said in a news release. "This reaccreditation status, which is an international recognition, demonstrates the professionalism of the department and employees."

The voluntary CFAI process provides an agency with an improvement model to assess its service delivery and performance internally. The department then works with a team of peers from other agencies to evaluate its self-assessment.

Agencies become accredited after peer review of the accreditation documents, completion of an on-site assessment and participation in a public hearing. Accredited agencies are often described as being community-focused, data-driven, outcome-focused, strategic-minded, well organized, properly equipped, and properly staffed and trained.