The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) recommended the Houston Fire Department for accreditation to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). On May 18, 2021 the CFAI reviewed the recommendation and awarded the HFD accreditation with full honors, recognizing the Houston Fire Department as an Internationally Accredited Organization.

For the second time in 5 years, the HFD has voluntarily participated in the rigorous review process in pursuit of accreditation. Industry PEER assessors provided objective verification and validation of key performance indicators across all programs. Accreditation is an achievement that not only helps to improve internal operations, but it establishes credibility, and ensure accountability. To receive accreditation, an organization must be committed to self improvement and transparency in the best interest of the community it serves. An organization must be devoted to accepting constructive criticism and possess the will to make changes necessary for improvement.

A major benefit of accreditation is the validation that an agency has satisfied certain levels of research. Mayors, administrators, city managers, and the like, seek data-driven best practices recommendations from the departments they oversee. Accreditation provides a justification for expenditures and a way to ensure the organization is operating with innovation, efficiency, cost effectiveness, and quality of services at the forefront.

“This is truly a team win. Congratulations to the men and women of the Houston Fire department for this achievement and I thank them for their dedication to duty. We also thank the citizens of Houston, Mayor Turner, and the City Council for providing us the tools to do our job. Achieving Accredited Agency status demonstrates our commitment to provide the highest quality of service to the residents and visitors of our city. We will continue to use the accreditation process as a proactive mechanism to plan for the future of this department and identify areas where we can improve on the quality of service we provide”, said Fire Chief Sam Pena.

In addition to receiving international accreditation from CFAI, the HFD has also earned one of the highest possible recognitions by receiving a Class 1 Public Protection Classification from the Insurance Services Office (ISO). City residents, business owners and visitors to Houston can count on first class fire protection. This is all possible because of the dedication of our men and women on the Houston Fire Department and the City’s investment in tools, technology, and infrastructure..www.houstontx.gov/fire/