After many months of editing, the sixth edition of the Fire and Emergency Services Self Assessment Manual is in print and ready for distribution.

The biggest impetus for the new manual was the addition of three new criteria, which were approved at the cfai's January meeting. The new criteria, which were recommended by Defense Department members of the Federal Fire and Emergency Services Quality Working Group, address:

* Response to weapons of mass destruction,

* Aviation rescue and firefighting services, and

* Marine and shipboard firefighting and rescue services.

Because not all agencies will have to address the aviation and marine criteria, guidelines have been added to outline the circumstances in which the criteria would apply. These additional criteria bring the total number to 47. There are more than 255 performance indicators and 108 core competencies.