Accreditation takes a lot of work. It would be foolish to think that a process covering such a broad range of services and programs would be simple and easily completed. As a chief fire officer, therefore you may be asking, "Is accreditation worth the effort?" The answer is "Yes!"

The largest amount of time required to prepare your organization for accreditation is the self-assessment process. Self assessment involves using the Fire and Emergency Services Self Assessment Manual as a microscope to examine every program and service your department provides.

The self-assessment process will help focus your agency on collecting and organizing the necessary references and exhibits to complement and demonstrate the services listed in the accreditation model. For each topic or subject area in the self-assessment, you'll describe what the department is doing, analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of the activity as it currently exists, and then develop a plan for the future.

One of the concurrent benefits of the accreditation process is the development of planning documents, including short-term action and long-term strategic plans. These are valuable tools in the budgeting process, showing a need for future programs and purchases, as well as justifying current services. When you consider the time and financial commitment necessary to plan and budget, you can see that the accreditation process is well worth the investment.

For example, it's possible that you can take the time your department now spends on planning and budgeting and redirect it toward the accreditation process with a better outcome. Once all your programs and services have undergone a detailed and thorough analysis, your department will not only accomplish its planning and budgeting responsibilities, it will also be on track for accreditation.

The self-assessment process, if used correctly, truly maximizes the use of staff hours and finances. Departments across the country have discovered the usefulness of self-assessment and learned that accreditation is what you make of it. It has the potential to drastically improve your department and services, and it will reshape the way your organization problem-solves into the future. As the chief, you hold the key to making the accreditation process a success.

But what else can you expect to gain? Many that have gone through the self-assessment process report organizational and operational changes as a result of their efforts. They've said that the fire and emergency service accreditation program:

* Promotes excellence.

* Encourages quality improvement through a continuous self-improvement process.

* Assures the local government and the public that the organization has defined mission objectives and strives to meet them.

* Provides for detailed evaluation of the organization and the services it provides to the community.

* Identifies areas of strength and weakness within the organization.

* Provides a systemic method to address those deficiencies, building on the organization's strengths.

* Offers a forum for the communication of organizational needs, both internally and externally.

* Provides a mechanism for developing documents, including strategic plans and budgets.

* Fosters pride in the organization when it's recognized as a department committed to continuous quality improvement and excellence.

At this time, 14 agencies have been accredited, 28 organizations are in the final phases of the accreditation process, and more than 220 organizations are registered and working toward this process. In addition, the Department of the Navy has selected this process for application to its fire and emergency services worldwide, and the Department of Defense is considering that application for all service branches.

Accreditation is worth the effort. It will continue to raise the level of professionalism for organizations and the fire service for many years to come. If your department isn't involved, you should seriously consider investigating what self-assessment and accreditation could do for your agency.

For further information on the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and the accreditation process, you can contact Stan Earl, cfai, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, Va. 22033; 703-273-9815, ext. 310.