Columbia Fire Department accredited again

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Only 13% of the United States population is protected by an accredited fire agency, according to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, and Columbia continues to be one of them.

Columbia Fire Department officials returned from Orlando, Florida, this week after sitting before the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. The department received reaccreditation status on Thursday.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeffrey Heidenreich said the department first became accredited in 2019, and agencies have to go through the process every five years.

According to The Center for Public Safety Excellence, departments become accredited after peer review of documents, completion of an onsite assessment and participation in a public hearing before the commission.

The website states there are 324 accredited agencies around the world with accreditation status.

In a press release Tuesday, CFD said the reaccreditation process evaluated the department's operations including emergency response, training, equipment maintenance, community outreach, governance, administration and leadership practices.

It said the process provides departments with an improvement model and looks at risks specific to Columbia to "gain a deeper understanding of the evolving expectations citizens hold for CFD and its responsibilities in meeting those expectations."

The accreditation team consisted of Heidenreich, Chief Clayton Farr Jr., Deputy Chief John Ambra and City Manager De'Carlon Seewood.

"This independent third-party validation is critical for our future success and allows us to embrace continuous improvement for the benefit of the community we serve," Farr said in the release.

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