Washington Township Fire Department is Awarded International Reaccreditation Status
Washington Township Fire Department, the only accredited fire department in the Miami Valley, has earned accreditation for a fourth time. The unanimous decision from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) came on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, following a rigorous submission process, a site visit by a peer assessment team, and a hearing in front of the CFAI commissioners.
The Washington Township Fire Department is one of more than 300 agencies to achieve Internationally Accredited Agency status with the CFIA, an internationally recognized benchmark for fire and emergency services. Accreditation was first achieved in 2008 after a rigorous five-year process that encompassed all aspects of department operations and reaccreditation was awarded in 2013 and 2018.
In making their unanimous decision, CFAI commissioners praised the level of detail found in the fire department’s accreditation report and commended the department for its officer credentialing.
“We’re exceptionally proud of our department and the services they provide to our community,” said Washington Township Trustee President Dale Berry. “Accreditation represents a sustained standard of excellence that requires superior management and a dedicated team of professionals from all ranks.”
Accreditation encourages departments to raise their standards of safety, service, and effectiveness through a recognized national standard of performance indicators. “Accreditation charts a course of continuous improvement for the department,” said Fire Chief Scott Kujawa. “It holds us accountable to industry standards and demonstrates our commitment to provide the highest quality of service to our community,” said Chief Kujawa.
Since the last reaccreditation in 2018, fire staff has followed up on a variety of CFAI recommendations impacting areas such as long-range planning, program appraisals, outcome measurements, and vehicle exhaust systems in the fire stations. The department has also continued to invest in professional development and credentialing of officers.