Accreditation

Accreditation

The Washington Township Fire Department's mission is to provide exceptional emergency and non-emergency services to enhance the safety and well-being of our community. The department's vision is to provide the highest quality, most effective, safe, and compassionate emergency services in the region.

Washington Township Fire Department is the only department in the Miami Valley and one of just 10 across Ohio to be accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), an internationally-recognized benchmark for fire and emergency services. Accreditation was awarded in 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2023.

Achieving and maintaining CFAI accreditation is a significant undertaking that requires leadership, the combined efforts of all department members, and a culture of quality throughout the organization. Both accreditation and reaccreditation involve a rigorous five-year process that encompass all aspects of department operations.

Accreditation Process

To earn accreditation, we create and maintain key documents, including a Strategic Plan, Self-Assessment Manual, and Standards of Cover and Community Risk Assessment. A peer assessment team then visits our department to review operations, and CFAI commissioners conduct a final panel review.

Reasons for Accreditation

Accreditation is an international achievement. It shows our community that we constantly look for ways to improve and that we are transparent and accountable.

We want to offer the best services possible, and CFAI accreditation helps us do that. CFAI gives local governments a way to assess their community's needs and helps fire departments measure their performance.

Most importantly, accreditation puts the Washington Township Fire Department on a path of continuous improvement. It starts with a self-review and leads to the creation of a Strategic Plan we actively put into practice.

Our department is committed to this model because we know there is always room to grow. That commitment means better services for our community, today and in the future.