Center for Public Safety (CPSE) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that partners with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the Insurance Services Office, and others with the mission to promote excellence within the fire service through continuous quality improvement. To achieve this mission, CPSE offers and facilitates a nationally recognized self-assessment accreditation program which typically spans 18 months for phase 1 and 9 months for phase 2. Phase 1 was completed in August 2019 and consisted of a standards-of-cover evaluation, community risk analysis and validation of mission, vision, guiding values, goals, objectives and performance measurements.
During phase 2, CPSE will facilitate a self-assessment of the Bakersfield Fire Departments’ processes, which include the completion of a Twenty-Two (22) step accreditation process. At the competition of the Self-Assessment including a Community-Driven Strategic Plan (CDSP) and a Self-Assessment Manual Facilitation (SAM), the Bakersfield Fire Department (BFD) will have a written plan that envisions the future. A well-crafted Strategic Plan translates to improved effectiveness, efficiency, and better quality of service being delivered. The Self-Assessment Manual identifies organizational strengths, and weaknesses and focuses on outcomes rather than outputs. CPSE will design, edit and publish the CDSP and SAM documents for the BFD.
The accreditation process provides an internationally recognized benchmark system for measuring the delivery of fire and emergency services. The process strives to: 1) improve performance and provide measurement standards for local governments and community analysis; 2) assist in redefining and developing comprehensive plans to address fire risks, hazards and community vulnerabilities; 3) reward excellence by providing agencies with a nationally recognized accredited status; 4) establish a plan for continuous organizational improvement.
The benefits of accreditation also extend beyond improving performance by potentially improving the agency’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating, reducing organizational risks and associated costs.
The Bakersfield Fire Department recommends approval of this agreement with CPSE for Strategic Planning and Self-Assessment Manual that will benefit both the department and the community by reducing existing risks and providing a framework of analysis that will better meet the future needs and demands of our community.