Transcript Accreditation Overview - Special District Association of

Fire Department Accreditation
and Self Assessment Overview
Chris Riley, Fire Chief, City of Pueblo
& President, CSFCA
1
What is Accreditation?

Comprehensive fire and emergency service
evaluation
—

Method of measuring a fire department’s performance
Overseen by the Commission on Fire
Accreditation International (CFAI)
—
—
—
Founded in 1996
Governed by a five-member board
General organizational operation by an 11 member
commission
2
Who is the Center for
Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) ?
“A non-profit organization dedicated
to the improvement of fire
and emergency service agencies
through self-assessment, accreditation,
professional credentialing,
emergency management facilitation
and other programs.”
3
4
Provision of Services -- Quandary




Do more with less
Increased expenditures require expanded
services
Accountability for level and quality of service
No nationally accepted set of performance
criteria
5
Why conduct evaluation of fire service
programs?


When you are trying to cope with
change
To provide for periodic evaluation to
ensure safe operations

When there is a change in leadership

To raise the level of professionalism
6
How good is
your department?
7
How do you measure it
for credibility?
8
Can you prove it?
9
Management Quandary
“Management in today’s fire service
might be characterized as being
a twenty-five year job,
with a ten-year strategic plan,
five-year tenure, and
a one-year appropriation.”
10
Benefits of Conducting a
Self Assessment Process

Promotes excellence within the agency

Encourages quality improvement continuously

Provides an evaluation of the agency and services

Identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses

Provides a means for agency growth

Provide a system for international recognition

Provides a mechanism for developing concurrent
documents such as strategic plans, risk assessments,
written standards of cover, desk top manual
11
Other accreditation examples

JCAHO

CALEA

APCO

Universities

Park Service
12
What is the Process for Accreditation?
Four main stages:
1.
Registered
—
—
—
2.
Access to CFAI network
Receives CFAI newsletter
Discounts on CFAI
publications
Applicant
—
—
3.
Accreditation Candidate
—
—
—
After agency has completed
the self assessment
CFAI will assign the peer
assessment team
Agency conducts Peer site
visit
4.
Receive Fire &
Emergency Service Self
Assessment Manual and
supporting documents
18 mos to complete the
self assessment
Accredited
—
—
After the Commission
grants accreditation
On the 5th anniversary,
Agency submits the
application for reaccreditation
13
Steps to Accreditation

Agency completes Self-Assessment document

On-site peer assessment is conducted



Assessment team submits final report to agency
and CFAI with recommendation
CFAI hears report from team leader with agency
representative present
CFAI awards or defers Accreditation
14
Self Assessment - Categories
Self-conducted performance evaluations of the
following 10 categories:


Governance and
Administration
Assessment and
Planning

Goals and Objectives

Financial Resources

Programs

Physical Resources

Human Resources



Training and
Competency
Essential Resources
External Systems
Relationships
15
Self Assessment – Performance Indicators




Each Category includes a number of criterion (45
total) and performance indicators (total of 244)
Some criterion may not be applicable if your
agency does not provide the service, i.e., Marine
and Shipboard Firefighting
Performance indicators define the areas where an
agency can demonstrate they are addressing
criterion
Some performance indicators are designated as
Core Competencies (77 of the 244 performance
indicators
16
Self Assessment – Core Competencies
Core Competency



An area where an agency must respond when
undergoing the actual accreditation process
Considered fire protection basic practices
All 77 Core Competencies must be
responded to and approved by the Peer
Assessor team to be Accredited
17
Self Assessment – Performance Indicator Responses

Consists of four parts
—
Description
–
—
Appraisal
–
—
How well the agency thinks that current activities
meet the needs of the item
Plan
–
—
What an agency has done to meet the intent of
the Performance Indicators or Criterion
Future plans in responding to the intent of the
item and noted improvements
Reference
–
A list citing the supporting exhibit(s) used
18
Self Assessment - Exhibits


Back up responses to Performance Indicators
with proof - exhibits
Exhibits
—
Any document from a variety of media that
–
Chronicles a requirement

–
Demonstrates compliance to a requirement

—
E.g., A contract that details the scope of work contracted for to
correct a deficient water supply due to main size
E.g., Inspection and test results of hydrants along the replaced
section of fire main
Standard Operating Procedures
–
You must be doing what you say you are doing!!
19
Steps for Writing Responses
1.
2.
3.
Assign staff members to review the Categories,
Criteria, and Performance Indicators to get a feel
for the overall system. Use internal expertise to
respond to specific areas.
Assign a person to review the Research and
Information Collection Guide for the entire
Category.
Assign specific Performance Indicators to staff
members with knowledge or expertise in that
area.
20
Steps for Writing Responses
4.
5.
6.
7.
Have staff WRITE what they have learned about your
department’s level of activity. Exhibits that have
been found, observation, pertinent facts, and other
details.
Evaluate and analyze this information. Identify rates
of change, direction of change, nature of change,
reasons for change, and amounts of change.
Interpret the data as information.
Prepare a plan statement about what to do with what
you know.
21
Peer Assessment

Purpose of Peer Review:
—
—


To verify information provided by the agency’s SelfAssessment team in the documentation
To formulate well-rounded team findings, opinions, and
recommendations regarding the credibility of an agency
to meet its mission
Agency is responsible to prove compliance with
requirements for Accreditation
Assessment team validates the proof provided
22
The “Big Four” (or, how to begin)

Risk Assessment

Goals & Objectives

Standard of Cover

Strategic Plan
23
Risk Assessment

A comprehensive risk assessment must be
conducted

Include all fire and non-fire risks

Publish risk assessment results
24
Goals & Objectives



Develop a formal goals and objectives
program
Include all functional areas of the
organization
Obtain employee buy-in
25
Standard of Cover


Developed from risk assessment and goals &
objectives program
Public document that defines level of service
to the staff, line fire fighters and the public

Service Level Objectives

Fractional vs average times
26
Strategic Plan
Typically a 5-year plan, that addresses:

Where are we going?

How do we get there?

What is our blueprint for action?

How do we know if we are on track?
27
Time to Begin!

Assign Accreditation Manager

Form Teams

Assign Performance Indicators and Core
Competencies

Begin the process of writing

Accreditation Manager reads/approves them all

Fire Chief review
28
Commission Meeting

The Commission meets twice a year
—
—


Fire Rescue International Meeting
Spring Meeting
Peer Assessment visit should be completed two
months prior to the Commission meeting
Typically, the chief, accreditation manager, and
a member of city government attend
—
Accredited vs. Deferred
29
Questions/Comments?
Chief Chris Riley
Work: 719.553.2830, Cell: 719.248.2683
[email protected]
Paul Cooke, Executive Director, CSFCA
Cell: 303.919.2721
[email protected]
30