The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) has awarded the Houston Fire Department (HFD) as an Internationally Accredited Organization with full honors, under the recommendation of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), on May 18, 2021.
Additionally, the HFD was also granted a Class 1 Public Protection Classification from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), meaning that the City of Houston is now officially secured by first-class fire protection.
“This is truly a team win. Congratulations to the men and women of the Houston Fire department for this achievement and I thank them for their dedication to duty. We also thank the citizens of Houston, Mayor Turner, and the City Council for providing us the tools to do our job," said Fire Chief Sam Pena.
He continued: "Achieving Accredited Agency status demonstrates our commitment to provide the highest quality of service to the residents and visitors of our city. We will continue to use the accreditation process as a proactive mechanism to plan for the future of this department and identify areas where we can improve on the quality of service we provide.”
This is the second time in five years the HFD has participated in a review process of accreditation. It believes achieving accreditation will not only help improve internal operations but also establish credibility and ensure accountability.
An accreditation further justifies expenditures and ensures that the accredited organization is positively innovative, efficient and cost-effective. In that respect, the Houston Fire Department is committed to continuous self-improvement and transparency.