The Red Deer Emergency Services Department has achieved a special status following an accreditation study.
Chief Jack MacDonald said the department is one of only five in Canada to be accredited by the Commission of Fire Accreditation International. There are about 140 accredited departments in the world, MacDonald said.
The status was achieved on Aug. 25 when the accreditation panel presented its findings to an 11-member international panel which unanimously approved the findings.
“We have achieved accredited agency status because of the effort of all the staff and their professional attitude towards the system,” MacDonald said in a press release.
“If the staff didn’t believe in the system and each other, the step towards accreditation would not have been possible,” MacDonald added.
An audit team spent months reviewing the department’s assessment manual, reports and other documentation.
In June, the audit team spent four days in Red Deer completing additional on-site reviews and interviews.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we have been thoroughly examined. I believe this has been the most comprehensive review of its kind ever completed in the department’s history,” said Deputy Chief Ted Hickey.
He also said officials know their department is not perfect and recommendations for improvements will help them better serve the community.