ROGERS -- The Fire Department was reaccredited by the Center for Public Safety Excellence at the Fire Rescue International Conference in San Antonio this week.
Accreditation by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International is awarded to only 234 of the nation's 33,000 fire departments. Rogers Fire Department and the Little Rock Air Force Base are the only two bodies in Arkansas to achieve it.
Rogers Fire Department’s dual accreditation
The Commission on Fire Accreditation International examines all components of fire service. The Rogers Fire Department first earned it in 2011, shortly after Mayor Greg Hines took office. The second accreditation is through the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, which the department has earned since 2012.
Source: Staff report
"These programs are worth it to show elected officials and the public that we're doing good things and care about improving, that we're not satisfied with the status quo," said Fire Chief Tom Jenkins. "We're better today than we were a year ago."
This is the second time for Rogers Fire to be accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. Little Rock and Springdale fire departments are undergoing the accreditation process, but have not achieved it yet. Surrounding states such as Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas have accredited fire departments as well, but they are few and far between.
"We're one of six cities in the U.S. that has both fire dispatch and police accredited as well," said Mayor Greg Hines. "That's a statement, a testament to our professional public safety and the commitment and investment we're willing to give to accomplish that."
The process determines community risk, safety needs and examines "service levels and internal performance, compares them to industry best practices and establishes a method for achieving continuous organizational improvement," according to the commission's website.
"Getting reaccredited is important because it holds us accountable" to taxpayers, Jenkins said. "It's important that when we introduce a new program that there's some rubric to be measured by. We want to make sure citizens know we're working hard for them and doing what we need to be doing as profession to serve them."
The Commission on Fire Accreditation International is made of representatives from a variety of fire departments of all sizes. During the accreditation process, a number of those representatives visit the department in question to inspect, observe and review the department's self assessment.
Rogers Fire Department was peer reviewed by representatives from Charlotte, N.C.; Denver; Kansas City and Canada.
"Having peers come in from all over the United States galvanizes you, gives you a roadmap," Jenkins said. "Of course, I think what we do is great, but for other people to evaluate it ... make sure we're credible and tell us areas to improve is good."
The department's self assessment took a comprehensive look at strengths and weaknesses to hone in on areas for improvement.
Fire departments are required to record and measure items such as the brevity of response times, call-taking practices and long-term planning to ensure they meet national standards. Getting reaccreditation is more difficult than initial accreditation because the department must show proof of improvement beyond those standards, Jenkins said.
During the first round of accreditation by the commission, peers suggested Rogers improve the level of staffing and response times. Reaccreditation means the department achieved those goals.
Money for additional staff, just enough to keep up with the growing population, and the new, placement of Fire Station No. 2 was aided by city policy changes and voter approval in the 2011 election. Since the placement of that station, response times have improved by 30 seconds.
"When we're talking about boiling water, that's not impressive," Hines said. "But when you have a heart attack, every second counts."
NW News on 08/27/2016