Above / Naperville Fire Department Bureau Chief Thomas Moran, Chief Mark Puknaitis, Division Chief Amanda Scheller, Deputy Chief Andrew Dina accept accreditation on behalf of the Naperville Fire Department.
The City of Naperville is proud to announce that the Naperville Fire Department has been awarded its fifth consecutive accreditation from the Center of Public Safety Excellence.
Accreditation enables organizations to study internal performance as well as past, current and future service levels and compare them to current research and industry best practices. The Naperville Fire Department has been internationally accredited through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and the Center for Public Safety Excellence since 1997 and, along with Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of only two agencies to achieve accreditation five consecutive times.
“Fire department accreditation is much more than a plaque received or a few nice words stated at a formal event. The accreditation process has been integrated into every aspect of the fire department’s operations,” said Naperville Fire Department Chief Mark Puknaitis. “It is a professional means of matching internationally-accepted best practices to our community in a way that meets the service delivery expectations that are constantly reviewed and revised as the community changes.”
Accreditation at Fire-Rescue International Conference in Charlotte, NC
Naperville was one of 37 agencies that traveled to the Fire-Rescue International Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina in July to complete their journey in achieving accreditation. This final phase involves a public hearing, a presentation by the peer assessment team leader and a question and answer session with the 11-member commission.
To be recommended for accreditation, a fire department must complete a rigorous self-assessment and compile a strategic plan and a risk hazard assessment. The Naperville Fire Department prepared for the accreditation process by incorporating these requirements into the day-to-day operations.
“More than ever, our department is committed to maintaining what it has worked so hard to achieve for the past 20 years and to continually look at ways to provide the highest quality of service in the most efficient matter to all the residents and community members,” said Chief Puknaitis. “Every member of this department ought to be proud of what we have collectively accomplished.”
Report submitted by Kelley Munch, Communications Specialist, for the City of Naperville.
