The CFAI accreditation process provides a well-defined, internationally recognized benchmark system to measure the quality of fire and emergency services. The reaccreditation confirms MDFR’s commitment to adhere to the highest standards of fire-rescue service and to continuously improving the service we deliver to our residents and visitors daily. MDFR is one of only 216 agencies in the world to achieve International Accreditation Agency status by the CFAI, which is part of the Center for Public Safety Excellence, and the second largest behind only the Houston Fire Department.

“Achieving this prestigious status was truly a team effort,” said Fire Chief Dave Downey. “I want to thank each and every member of our MDFR family who contributed toward us achieving this goal.”

Accreditation is a voluntary program designed to provide fire departments with a self-assessment process that evaluates how well their mission, goals, objectives and resource allocations meet their jurisdiction’s risks and hazards. It mandates continual incremental service improvement. Accreditation directs fire departments toward meeting stated goals and providing value-added service by introducing new concepts, ideas, and methods to meet the rapid changes influencing the fire service and local fire departments. Once accredited, a fire department is reevaluated every five years to determine if the organization is continuing to seek more effective and efficient ways of providing service. MDFR was initially accredited by the CFAI in 2010.

The CFAI is dedicated to assisting fire and emergency service agencies throughout the world in achieving excellence through self-assessment and accreditation in order to provide continuous quality improvement and the enhancement of service delivery to their communities.

For more information please contact MDFR’s Media Relations at 786-331-5212.