Cedar Park Fire Department Maintains Highest Accreditation Status

The City of Cedar Park Fire Department (CPFD) proudly announces the retention of its accreditation status.

The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), an internationally recognized body committed to assisting high-performing fire departments and emergency services professionals, administers the accreditation process.

Wide-ranging and immensely thorough, the accreditation process included CPFD implementing a fire department strategic plan, bolstered by public input, completing a city-wide risk assessment, developing standards of cover, and comparing CPFD to 300 CFAI performance objectives. This comparison, including an in-person audit, ranks current fire department performance levels and highlights opportunities to streamline and increase performance. Although the accreditation process included hundreds of hours of additional workload, Fire Chief Mallinger acknowledged that the effort demonstrated CPFD's deeply held commitment to ensuring the safety of Cedar Park residents and communities.

Dr. Byron Kennedy, Retired Division Chief from the Atlanta Fire Department, led the onsite team through the CPFD accreditation inspection and stated, "Led by Fire Chief James Mallinger, the CPFD has achieved internationally accredited status for the third consecutive time, placing the agency in an exclusive group of fire service industry professionals committed to continuous improvement. This achievement reflects the department's unwavering dedication to the continuous improvement model endorsed by the CFAI.

Fire Chief Mallinger noted the importance of CFAI accreditation, "The whole process is about continuous improvement. The Cedar Park Fire Department can count itself among a unique group. When you look all across North America, there are very few that have achieved this status. The Accreditation Team was very impressed with the Cedar Park Fire Department and the quality of the documentation and information supplied to us. It was very professionally done."

Cedar Park is one of 14 accredited jurisdictions in the State of Texas and one of 320 accredited municipalities in the nation. To maintain accredited status, the Cedar Park Fire Department must submit an Annual Compliance Report, reapply, and be evaluated every five years.