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President's Report Chief Randy Bruegman, CFO

As 2009 winds down, most of us in the public sector would say this has been an extremely challenging year. The economic challenge that many communities face has had a direct impact on the ability of the local fire service to continue the level of service it has historically provided. The economy has also brought to the forefront a new level of discussion among city managers about the need to clearly articulate the value that added emergency management service (EMS) delivers to the community each and every day.
A recent letter sent to city managers by ICMA Consulting Services stated: "We act as the 'honest broker' that can help you cut through the typical rhetoric and subjective approaches that often surround public safety staffing decisions." For most of us who read this, our first reaction was to become angry and defensive. However, we should take to heart the fact that we need to continue to enhance our ability to articulate the value added to communities in a manner that city managers, elected officials, and the public understand. If we don't, these "honest brokers" surely will!
The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) had an extremely successful year as we strive toward our mission of continuous quality improvement. We provide tools to organizations and professionals to improve their ability to meet the changing demands in our industry and to become successful fire service leaders. In 2009, CPSE and its two commissions went back to their roots with a renewed focus on the core services and promoting quality in the fire service and in our own operation.
At Fire Rescue International (FRI) 2009, 8th Edition Fire & Emergency Service Self-Assessment Manual (FESSAM) was released—significantly updated to reflect the evolution of processes since its inception. Staff members are already working on the 6th edition of the Standard of Cover (SOC) manual, which will complete the consolidation effort to more effectively link the FESSAM and the SOC in a manner not done before.
Also, at FRI 2009, CPSE included a supplemental insert to September's Fire Chief Magazine, which to date has been distributed to about 54,000 stakeholders. We are already working on CPSE's 2010 Conference of Excellence, which will be held in Orlando, Fla., at the Caribe Royale March 9–12, 2010. This conference began as an Accreditation Managers' Workshop and over the last five years has grown into a comprehensive educational offering focused on the concepts and ideas that lead to quality organizations. Even though budgets are tight, such conferences help us gain new ideas and approaches to meet today's very difficult demands and to prepare our organizations to continue to grow in the future.
The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) also had a banner 2009.
At FRI 2009 we launched the Fire Officer (FO) designation, which brings company officers into the national credentialing process. Nine individuals participated in a beta test and were ultimately awarded the designation. These individuals are our industry's future.
I would like to personally thank the technical working group (Jim Broman, Rick Mason, Pat Marlatt, John Buckman, Duane Dodwell, Chuck Burkell, and Debbie Sobotka) for working on this project.
In addition, a Chief Officer Mentoring Program kicked off this year, brought to CPSE by Chief Chris Riley (Pueblo, Colorado) and Chief Marc Revere (Novato, California). This program is designed to match chief officers who are tenured and experienced mentors with young officers who have less experience and need a sounding board or are planning to promote to chief in the future. All of us who have been successful in promoting to chief know we never would have achieved the rank and/or been successful without the help from others serving in such roles. It is not only a responsibility for every chief officer to give back to young officers to help them prepare for leadership, but also also an excellent way for us to give back to our industry by helping to ensure the quality of leadership is sustained. We also should pass along the positive and negative experiences we have had so the next round of leadership can be better than us.
This year CPSE exceeded 700 designees with the addition of 23 dual-credential chief officers and nine chief fire officer designees beginning their fourth term: Frank Edwards, Dan Gaumont, Bill Jenaway, Rich Marinucci, Rick Mason, Jack McElfish, Patrick McIntosh, Dennis Rubin, and me.
CPC this year is developing the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Fire Officer (FO) renewal process and is working toward creating a fire prevention credential. CPC continues to expand its professional development workshops, which are offered through webinars and at many local conferences nationwide. Next year we'll celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Chief Fire Officer designation program, a milestone in the development of this process.
Last but not least, I am pleased to announce a new CPSE award in honor of Chief Ron Coleman, the founding father of the CFAI process. The Ron Coleman Leadership Award, approved by the Board in August, is named for a chief officer who mentored so many of us to succeed in our careers. Beginning next year, CPSE will present the Ron Coleman Leadership Award to a selected chief fire officer who has demonstrated the commitment to making a difference in the lives of others through mentoring and shown a willingness to teach, educate, support, and guide these individuals as they continue to better themselves as leaders in the fire service profession.
This year has been an absolutely outstanding year for CPSE. A major reason for this is the excellent staff. As Board president, I would like to give thanks to:
- Executive Director Paul Brooks (who has been with CPSE for just a little over a year)
- Deputy Director Debbie Sobotka
- CFAI Program Manager Rick Black
- Technical Advisor Program Manager Rick Fagan
- Administrative Assistant Chris Welch
They do a great job each and every day. If it were not for them, the work that is truly having an impact on the fire service would not get done. To all of you who continue to pursue excellence for yourself and for your organizations, I want to thank you and wish you a very safe and happy Holiday Season. I look forward to continuing our quest to improve the fire service industry in 2010.
Be safe.
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CPC Chairman's Report Rick Mason, CFO, Chairman, CPC

I have lived in the same New England house for more than two decades so one would think that I would remember that I have two pretty and large rose bushes in my back yard. Recently, I was reminded!
My neighborhood is lined with many Maple trees, and this time of year what leaves are left are a very appealing burnt orange color—although there is more orange on my lawn than in the trees! This past weekend we had unusually warm weather, Indian summer I presume, and I worked in my yard, cleaning the leaves. I also had a run-in with my rose bushes and my hands, arms, and even my forehead have scratches as if I had a fight with a temperamental cat.
Now I had several choices: 1) I could blame my wife for not cutting back the rose bushes; 2) I could wear gloves and a heavy shirt so the thorns did not affect my lawn duties; 3) I could blame the ice-cream truck going by with that annoying music from the seventies movie "The Sting" for distracting me; or 4) I could be accountable for my own actions or inactions and take any blame myself! Obviously, number four should be the answer, but I know so many people who would choose one, two, or three. This is a problem we encounter in these times; people do not hold themselves accountable for the things they have complete control over.
I was contemplating what analogy I would use to convey my thoughts about people holding themselves accountable for their own actions or inactions. Then I did my lawn work. We all make decisions—and we all have tried to pass the buck when it comes to life's little errors and we have all have made mistakes. This is a fact of life and we have to accept it. I am concerned with how we accept it. In my upbringing I was taught that it might not be easy to admit to wrongdoing, but it was a lot better than not telling the truth, as the truth always is discovered.
We are all guided by a document: the Code of Professional Conduct. As designated professionals, we have all signed and agreed to live this document in all our dealings. I take this very seriously and you should as well.
I think as professionals we need to act professional and set an example by living up to and admitting our own mistakes. This is certainly a character trait I like to see in a leader!
Stay safe.
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CFAI Chairman's Report Ernst Piercy, CFO
Wow, where has 2009 gone? It seems like just yesterday we were meeting in Orlando for our spring conference, and I looked at the calendar this morning and realized I was already making plans for Christmas. There is a lot of news coming out of CFAI this year. Our fall meeting, held in conjunction with Fire Rescue International (FRI) 2009 in Dallas, was extremely successful. No fewer than 23 agencies came before the commission for either first-time accreditation or reaccreditation. After two days of meetings, we now have 133 agencies accredited, with more than 100 additional agencies in the process of accreditation.
The highlight of the event was our annual dinner, which had a full house, great food, superb fellowship, and, of course, the recognition of agencies and chief officers that have gone through the process. Chief Mark Puknaitis (Naperville, Illinois) was recognized as our Ray Picard winner for his outstanding work with accreditation and for his efforts with the Illinois Fire Accreditation Managers Group. Puknaitis gets well-deserved recognition for his visionary fire service leadership.
The number of agencies that have worked through the accreditation process has certainly grown over the years, which means that for the first time ever, we are considering adding a third day for commission activities at next year's FRI conference. So what has changed? Simply put, word is getting out. Accreditation is not a flash in the pan; it's a change in how we do business. Is it easy or simple to go through? No. Is it worth the effort? Absolutely. It's a shift from emotion-based decision making to fact-based decision making.
Do you ever wonder why police agencies are successful in city council meetings? The answer is simple: they bring facts backed up with impacts. For too long, the fire service has used emotions to make our arguments. During these fiscally troubled times, I think we can agree that these arguments are no longer effective. (Were they ever?) The benefit to the accreditation process is the journey your organization takes to get there, not the recognition you received when it's completed. (Although that is pretty cool, too.) Just ask any member of the Pueblo (Colorado) City Council about their accredited fire department and you will immediately sense their overwhelming pride in the fire service's men and women.
Has the accreditation process helped your fire department become better, stronger, more powerful? If so, let your neighbors know (or tell me so I can share your stories). Become a mentor. Bring another fire department into the fold (or two, or three). Spread the word. Accreditation is a process of continuous improvement that will help align your agency with nationally accepted practices for fire service agencies. I have two sons that both attended accredited universities. I wouldn't for a moment have spent a nickel on tuition at non-accredited institutions. Why would we accept less for the agencies that protect our communities?
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CFAI Program Manager's Report Rick Black
Chiefs: Think About What You Delegate
Effective fire chief delegate. How often were we taught this characteristic as we promoted and prepared ourselves to become the agency chief? The reality is that it depends on what is being considered for delegation.
If you have attended our two-day self-assessment workshop, you left with a clear understanding that the fire chief should not serve as the accreditation manager or as a primary writer of the required documents. This is because the fire chief is simply not the subject matter expert who understands the reality of each and every performance area. The chief is a global leader who focuses on direction and outcomes. The company officer and/or the street-level firefighter are the subject matter experts who can provide a clear, direct, and transparent appraisal of how well a performance area is working or not working. Additionally, the fire chief should be the "final review" of the document drafts. In this case, the fire chief delegates authority to a member to serve as the accreditation manager and the manager delegates authority to various category and/or criterion managers. But the fire chief cannot and should not ever delegate responsibility for the overall process.
On occasion, I hear from a fire chief who is "shocked" and "aghast" that a team of his/her peers has found so many issues to criticize related to their Self-Assessment manual, Standard of Cover, or strategic plan. In some (rare) cases, they even become offended that so many questions are being posed by their peer team. This leaves me with two questions:
- Aren't you glad that a team of your peers is asking before residents of your community or members of the media are asking?
- How involved were you, as chief, in the review portion of this process?
Now, you may be thinking: "Rick! That's why I promoted this guy or that lady—I expect them to run this process in our agency!" Be that as it may, you are ultimately responsible for establishing performance measures and appraising the organization on a regular basis. And the best part is that you can establish the processes to stay on top of this game. By simply adjusting your annual or quarterly meetings to include status reports from the accreditation manager and/or category managers on the components of the process and their recommendations for changes/improvements, you can easily meet your responsibilities.
It all goes back to a principle that we began teaching last year: Accreditation status is an organizational process, not a five-year project. The fire chief is an integral and sustaining part of this process. You can delegate authority, but you can never delegate responsibility.
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Congratulations to the 2009 designees and accredited agencies who were recognized at the 10th annual CPSE awards ceremony held August 27, 2009, in Dallas.
Kathryn A. Dickson
Garrett L. Dyer
Bryan E. Ellis
David F. Emanuel
Mitchell R. Harrington
Craig A. Leu
Jonathon L. Messick
Joy M. Ponder
Anthony M. Strazzo
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2009 CMO DESIGNEES |
Stephan D. Cox, CPC Commissioner
John T. Bianco
Steven P. Belau
Mark F. Bradford
Sean M. Caffrey
Kenneth M. Craft
Edward V. Dubowski
Kyle R. Gorman
James M. Higgins
Scott D. Kerwood
Mark E. Klose
Scott A. LaVielle
Laurie Lee Mooney
Rodney A. Reed
David J. Rierson
Dennis L. Rubin
Nels D. Sanddal
John A. Spencer
Jack R. Taylor
Mark A. Terry
Steven A. Wilson
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2009 CFO DESIGNEES |
FOURTH TERM
Randy R. Bruegman, President, CPSE Board of Directors
Richard A. Mason, Chair, CPC Commission
William F. Jenaway, Vice Chair, CFAI Commission
Daniel J. Gaumont
Richard A. Marinucci
Jack K. McElfish
Dennis L. Rubin
| THIRD TERM |
John J. Drago, Vice President, CPSE Board of Directors
Cliff Jones, CPSE Board of Directors
James M. Broman, CPC Commissioner
Stephan D. Cox, CPC Commissioner
Tim L. Holman, Vice Chair, CPC Commission
Ernst R. Piercy, Chair, CFAI Commission
Stephen A. Addezio
William Austin
Thomas F. Bartlett
Robert Bettenhausen
David G. Bierwiler
Mark A. Bodane
Brian Kurt Bozenhardt
Mark F. Bradford
Frank V. Brocato
John M. Buckman, III
Robert Buhs
Mitchell G. Byrd
James E. Carr
Harry R. Carter
Douglas Chappell
Michael Chiaramonte
Ben D. Chlapek
Allen D. Church
Harold C. Cohen
Timothy G. Collins
David C. Comstock, Jr.
Stephen A. Dean
Paul A. Dextras
James W. Dominik |
Larry D. Donner
Brian P. Duggan
Richard "Smokey" Dyer
James L. Eggert
Michael A. Eisner
Ralph C. Eudailey
Gary L. Fisher
Robert S. Fleming
Ben C. Florance
Don T. Floyd
Terry G. Ford
Paul G. Forsberg
Merle D. Frank
Al H. Gillespie
Bradley D. Golden
Ted A. Golden
James M. Grady, III
Gregory H. Grayson
James Robert Griffin
Larry Grorud
Richard Haase
James B. Harmes
David G. Hawkins
David E. Hedrick
Richard M. Henderson
William R. Herrington
Victor C. Hilbert
Joseph L. Intile
Gary Johnson
Patrick J. Kenny
Edward H. Kensler
Dennis E. Kirin
Stephen Kopczynski
Peter Lamb
James Linardos
Jeffrey T. Lindsey
Greg W. Main
Dennis E. Mason
Edgar Jack McArthur
Gary B. McCarraher |
Michael A. McCullough
Kevin J. McGee
Rick McIntyre
Robert W. Meyer
Charles G. Middleton
Paul W. Murray
William S. Nelson
Manuel P. Neves
Joseph D. Parrott
Christopher D. Pendleton
Jim I. Peterson
Robert J. Post
Gregory Pottberg
Marc A. Revere
Edward N. Richards
Thomas E. Robinson
Edward M. Russell
Timothy L. Schabbel
Randall J. Sellnow
Gary N. Sharp
Craig H. Shelley
Ronald Jon Siarnicki
Larry W. Siefken
Robert G. Stahl, Jr.
John Tunstall
Brian VanCamp
Mark S. Wallace
William G. Walton
David R. Weiss
Mark W. Wendelsdorf
Donnie P. West
Garrison G. Westbrook
Robert H. Wilcox
Gerald R. Wimberly
Frederick C. Windisch
Dennis Wolf
Thomas R. Wood |
| SECOND TERM |
Steven Bair
Robert F. Baker
Shawn T. Bayouth
Michael C. Beadle
Thomas M. Billington
Marion F. Blackwell
Brett R. Bowman
Michael D. Bradley
David C. Dayringer
Brian R. Dean
Duane M. Dodwell
Monte G. Egherman
Kevin S. Gordon
Richard O. Granger, Jr. |
Daniel H. Graves
Kevin L. Hammons
Lloyd Sam Hansen
Donald A. Harris
Edward E. Hartin
William Hawley
Robert Hedden
Barry L. Hoffman
Daniel T. Kistner
Richard C. Kline
Todd J. LeDuc
Michael H. Lee
Dennis B. Light
David A. Matthew |
Scott R. Miller
Karl Ristow
Andrew J. Rocca
David A. Rose
Thomas E. Solberg
James R. St. John
Howard B. Stephens
Robert B. Trautwein
Vincent B. Turner
Don Turno
Alan G. Wax
James Warren Whitley
Gary K. Yurt
Robert L. Zickler |
| FIRST TERM |
Raymond A. Cain, CFAI Commissioner
Steve E. Abraira
Paul A. Adams
Allen Wilmer Baldwin
Karl A. Bauer
Robert D. Beasley
Donald R. Berger
Michael J. Bertolino
Arthur R. Bousquet
Steven K. Brooks
James R. Brown
Gregory A. Bulanow
Coleman C. Bushnell
Mark A. Carr
Kenneth D. Caudle
Chris Christopoulos, Jr.
Scott A. Clark
Glenn Davis
Matt D. Davis
William C. Daywalt, Jr.
Garry L. DeJong
Richard E. Donahue
Michael W. Dutton
Steven T. Edwards
Robert W. Eick
Mark A. Elder
David L. English
Christopher M. Frasier
William S. Fuller
Howard H. Giles
Stuart W. Grant |
Marvin Dwane Green
William M. Gulbrandsen
Donnie Ray Hall
Mark A. Heine
Mark W. Herendeen
Donn W. Hill
Freddy L. Johnson, Sr.
Kenneth L. Jones
Patrick J. Kearns
Corey J. Landry
Richard M. Lieder
Ernest H. Little
Steven A. Locke
Brian D. Mayo
Dale McCleese
Scott David Merrill
William R. Metcalf
Fred W. Mills
Michael Kyle Minick
David A. Moore, Jr.
Jerry A. Nulliner
Corey D. Parker
John E. Parow
Todd A. Paschal
David R. Peterson
Kris A. Phipps
Stephen J. Piechura
Jeffrey E. Pollard
Joy M. Ponder
Wallace W. Possich
Joseph E. Pozzo
Randy Scott Redmond
Kevin W. Richardson |
David L. Rohr
Robin Reggie Romines
Steve D. Ross
John P. Schreiber
William R. Schultz
Kenneth R. Smith
Jonathan S. Smith
Rick A. Southey
Christopher B. Sproule
Mark A. St. Pierre
James M. Stallings
William E. Stark
Philip C. Stittleburg
John F. Sullivan
Jack R. Taylor
Steven P. Thomas
George L. Thomas, IV
Ronald T. Wakeham
James J. Walsh
Phillip B. Welch, Jr.
Gary R. West
Scott A. Wiggin
Michael W. Winters
Jeffrey J. Wittig
Edward J. Wurster |
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2009 ACCREDITED AGENCIES |
Apache Junction Fire District***
Apache Junction, AZ
Fire Chief Dan Campbell
Calgary Fire Department***
Calgary, AB
Fire Chief Bruce Burrell
Henderson Fire Department***
Henderson, NV
Fire Chief Douglas Stevens
Largo Fire Rescue***
Largo, FL
Fire Chief Michael Wallace, CFO
Lincoln Fire & Rescue***
Lincoln, NE
Fire Chief Niles Ford
Nashville Fire Department***
Nashville, TN
Fire Chief Stephen Halford, CFO
Bradenton Fire Department**
Bradenton, FL
Fire Chief Mark Souders, CFO
Chandler Fire Department**
Chandler, AZ
Fire Chief Jeff Clark, CFO
Clay Fire Territory**
South Bend, IN
Fire Chief Timm Schabbel, CFO
Clearwater Fire & Rescue**
Clearwater, FL
Fire Chief Jamie Geer, CFO
East Side Fire Protection District No. 5**
Baton Rouge, LA
Fire Chief Dale Hancock
Fishers Fire Department**
Fishers, IN
Fire Chief Kenneth Lay, CFO
Fort Lee Fire and Emergency Services**
Fort Lee, VA
Fire Chief Thomas Bahr
Glencoe Department of Public Safety**
Glencoe, IL
Director Mikel Milks
Hartford Fire Department**
White River Junction, VT
Fire Chief Steven Locke, CFO
Hill Air Force Base Fire Department**
Hill AFB, UT
Fire Chief Paul Erickson
Kent Fire Department**
Kent, WA
Fire Chief Jim Schneider
Miami Beach Fire Rescue Department** |
Miami Beach, FL
Fire Chief Eric Yuhr
Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Services**
Norfolk, VA
Fire Chief Stephan Cox, CFO
Palm Harbor Special Fire Control land Rescue Division**
Palm Harbor, FL
Fire Chief James Angle, CFO
Spartanburg Public Safety Department Fire Division**
Spartanburg, SC
Fire Chief William Ale
Toledo Fire and Rescue Department**
Toledo, OH
Fire Chief Michael Wolever
Union Township Fire Department**
Union Township, OH
Fire Chief Stanley Deimling
Bloomfield Fire Department*
Bloomfield, NJ
Fire Chief Joseph Intile, CFO
Culver City Fire Department*
Culver City, CA
Fire Chief Jeffrey Eastman
Defense Supply Center*
Richmond, VA
Fire Chief Clyde Hipshire
Defense Supply Center Fire & Emergency Services*
Columbus, OH
Fire Chief Sean Edwards
Fort Drum Fire and Emergency Services*
Fort Drum, NY
Fire Chief Peter Queior
Huntley Fire Protection District*
Huntley, IL
Fire Chief James Saletta, CFO
Novato Fire Protection District*
Novato, CA
Fire Chief Marc Revere, CFO
Maitland Fire Rescue Department*
Maitland, FL
Fire Chief Kenneth Neuhard
Searcy Fire Department*
Searcy, AK
Fire Chief Bill Baldridge
Tacoma Fire Department*
Tacoma, WA
Fire Chief Ronald Stephens
Vandenberg AFB Fire and Emergency Services*
Vandenberg AFB, CA
Fire Chief Mark Farias |
*** Denotes Third Term Accredited Agencies
** Denotes Second Term Accredited Agencies
* Denotes First Term Accredited Agencies
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U.S. Department of Defense Representative Receives CMO Designation
The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) recently conferred the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) designation on Stephan D. Cox, the first U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) representative to receive this prestigious credential.
Chief Cox is a 41-year emergency services veteran. He currently serves as regional fire chief for Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Services, directing the emergency medical services of 27 installations, from Maine to North Carolina.
Steve has served as a Chief Officer for the past 36 years. In 2003, he retired as manager of field operations for the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute (MFRI) and began a new career in the DoD's Fire & Emergency Service, first serving as assistant director of Fire & Emergency Services for Naval Facilities Engineering Command in Washington, D.C.
The EMS accomplishments spanning Steve's career are too many to name. Most recently he implemented the transition for EMS transport from the Navy Bureau of Medicine to the Fire & Emergency Services; established EMS standard operating procedures for the department; and identified and staffed Quick Response Vehicles for paramedics. Chief Cox continues to teach emergency medical technician (EMT) classes to new students and recertification classes for current providers.
Steve serves as the DoD representative on the CPC. He holds an associate's degree in Law Enforcement, a bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science, and a master's in Management. He holds numerous emergency services certifications and earned the Chief Fire Officer designation in 2003.

Chief Cox is one of only 43 individuals nationwide to hold the CMO designation and is one of 23 dual-designated Chief Officers. Congratulations Steve!
The CMO designation program, launched in January 2008, recognizes EMS leaders who have demonstrated excellence and outstanding achievement throughout their career. Professional designation demonstrates that an individual has developed a strategy for continued career improvement and development.
To learn more about the process or to download the candidate guidelines and application, visit the CPSE website.
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Leadership for Tough Times Chief Cliff Jones, CFO
Leadership for Tough Times was the theme for Fire Rescue International in Dallas this past August. On reflection, the theme was most appropriate then and still is—maybe even more so.
Two strategies for addressing both effectiveness and efficiency during these tough times are best practices and the Commission on Fire Accreditation International through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. A strategic question for all of us is: Can we meet the new expectations to achieve, measure, and demonstrate standards of efficiency (and effectiveness) comparable with best practices? Follow-up questions include: How do we deal with external threats? How do we develop new strategies? How do we introduce special services? How do we expand traditional services? How do we give quality management principles our careful attention?
Best practices are those that are considered to be premier, world class, or without peer. Best practices are probably what David Altay meant when he mentioned "secrets to success." The use of best practices can be the quickest antidote to poor performance, says Ethan Rasiel.
New York City Fire Department Battalion Chief John Salka, in his book "First In, Last Out," suggests that you can study other organizations and look for innovations that help you get things done more effectively. The takeaways from other organizations could be considered best practices.
There are some straightforward places to look for—and nurture—best practices. These include looking to your own employees, holding best practices workshops, assembling a team of unofficial leaders from each level of your organization, looking to your competitors (i.e., neighbors), reviewing leading organizations in other fields, and tapping your best and brightest.
A key point in being able to identify and implement best practices is knowing where you are now, which sets the stage for continuous improvement. For a fire department organization—career, combination, or volunteer—an excellent way to determine where you are is by completing the Self-Assessment process through the CFAI. This process allows your organization to use a model approach to organizational effectiveness and efficiency evaluation, utilizing the people who know the organization best—and who have the most to gain from a comprehensive evaluation of all facets of department operations.
Many people in the fire service look at the prospect of Self-Assessment through the CFAI as having the potential to be a lot of work. I would respond that they are correct in that assumption, but would also say that it is important to remember that there is nothing in the process that our bosses—city managers, mayors, city councils, and fire district boards don't expect us to already be doing in one form or another. The work revolves around describing what we do, appraising how effectively we do it, and stipulating what our plan is for the future.
We are being called on to justify, defend, and describe decision impacts as never before, so it is critical to have a system in place to assist us in doing that. I submit that the system is Self-Assessment. Fire service accreditation is about exercising leadership in the interest of your organization's future. Become a registered agency today and begin the journey of continuous improvement for your organization. CPSE will be there for you all along the way.
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Annual Compliance Report Reminder
If your accredited status contains a March anniversary date, your Annual Compliance Report is due on or before February 15, 2010. Be sure to use the most current template located in the "Accreditation Manager" area of the SharePoint site. If you have any questions, contact Rick Black.
CPSE announces the release of the CFAI Fire & Emergency Service Self-Assessment Manual (8th Edition).

The Fire & Emergency Services Self-Assessment Manual (8th Edition) continues to reflect the growth and development of the best industry model for assessing an emergency service agency's capabilities. It helps agencies identify community-specific hazards and risks and plan and deploy an integrated systems approach to managing those risks. The new manual includes updated guidelines for the self-assessment process and an overview of the process for conducting community risk analysis. The base categories of self assessment are the same, but criteria and individual performance indicators underwent a significant update to reflect the complex nature of a modern and credible emergency service agency. The data- and information-collection guide was also updated to include new behaviors, documentation, and exhibits, along with an updated bibliography to be used as a reference guide. This is an invaluable tool for all departments, regardless of whether you are currently pursuing accredited agency status. The model identifies and defines the capabilities of a 21st century fire department. (Note: Agencies seeking to become a candidate for accreditation or reaccreditation on or after March 1, 2010, will be required to reference the 8th Edition of the manual.) If you have any questions, contact Rick Black.
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2009 Ray Picard Award Recipient Announced

Mark Puknaitis, Naperville (Illinois) Fire Chief, received the Ray Picard Award in Dallas during Fire Rescue International 2009 week from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). The award was presented by CPSE President Randy Bruegman and by the namesake of the award, Fire Chief Ray Picard (Ret.). Chief Puknaitis serves as President of the Illinois Fire Accreditation Managers (IFAM) Group and chair of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association Accreditation Committee. He was the accreditation manager for Oak Park (Illinois) Fire Department, where he served as deputy fire chief. Assistant Chief Rob Ugaste, of the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District, said this of Puknaitis: "Mark is the glue that holds the Illinois Fire Accreditation Managers Group together," noting that "Mark's passion and credible approach sold [his chief] on giving accreditation a try." William Bell, Oak Park fire chief, spoke to Mark's commitment and dedication while leading Oak Park through initial accreditation and reaccreditation, as well as his influence in his home state and beyond. "Mark's involvement with CFAI undoubtedly was a positive factor in his selection as fire chief of the Naperville Fire Department," Bell said, "a department that has been awarded three Accredited Agency Awards." In fact, Naperville was an original beta test site for the CFAI accreditation process and one of the first five original accredited agencies from 1997.
The Ray Picard Award is designed to recognize the individual(s) who exemplify the ability, character, dedication, and leadership attributes Ray Picard provided in developing the self-assessment and accreditation processes for the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). The annual award recognizes individual superior leadership and outstanding contribution to CFAI and the accreditation of fire departments. The award criteria is specific and the winner must demonstrate significant accomplishments in the international fire accreditation process; individual initiative, including helping others with the accreditation process; technical competency, which may include serving as a peer assessor, team leader, or CFAI community instructor; and leadership ability impacting their own agency, other agencies, and the industry at large.
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CPSE Technical Advisor Program
The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Technical Advisor Program assists agencies with continuous quality improvement by offering professional support as they work through the accreditation process.
This year the program assisted agencies in their pursuit of accreditation or reaccreditation in all regions of the United States and in Canada. A balance of program work occurred around the provision of three "Core" deliverables: Community Driven Strategic Planning facilitation, Standards of Cover facilitation, and Self Assessment facilitation. CPSE has found that through the use of technical advisors who are credentialed as veteran Peer Assessors, we are able to professionally guide and coach agencies in achieving or maintaining CFAI Accreditation.
The following clients have received Community-Driven Strategic Planning assistance, facilitated by credentialed technical advisors:
- The Hartford Fire Department, CT
- The Winter Park Fire and Rescue, FL
- The Santa Clara County Fire Department, CA
- The Howard County Maryland Department of Fire and Rescue
- The Los Alamos County Fire Department, NM
- The Monroe Fire Department, NC
- The South Metro Fire Rescue Department, CO
- The Vista Fire Department, CA
While some of these agencies are currently accredited through CFAI, others are in the process of working toward accreditation.
Strategic Planning Breakout Session

The Technical Advisor Program also this year actively facilitated five agencies in their work in Hazard and Risk Assessment, Standard of Cover (SOC) document development, and Self-Assessment Manual. These agencies include the Rockford (Illinois) Fire Department, the Hartford (Connecticut) Fire Department, and the Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) Fire Rescue Services. Agencies that are accredited, such as the Santa Clara County (California) Fire Department and the Los Alamos County (New Mexico) Fire Department, also received assistance with processes under the new 8th Edition Fire & Emergency Service Self-Assessment Manual (FESSAM) format. This is extensive work, which takes a full year or more to complete, includes extensive onsite instruction and regularly scheduled Web-based meetings where completed work which has been uploaded to a SharePoint website is reviewed. It also involves follow-up onsite activities scheduled to help ensure that an agency has become properly prepared in pursuit of accreditation.
The CPSE Technical Advisor Program will conclude its work in Edmonton this month by sending two technical advisors who are credentialed as veteran Peer Assessor Team Leaders to perform a "Mock Site Visit." While there, the Technical Advisors will perform a detailed on-site assessment, conduct interviews, and perform data analysis of the Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, their SOC, and their Self Assessment document. They will also host an exit interview with the agency summarizing their findings. At the close, a detailed status report will be provided to the agency covering the categories, criteria, and core competencies written to the CPSE/CFAI FESSAM. This facilitation work, along with the closing report, provides the agency with a clear understanding of where they stand relative to becoming a "Candidate Agency" for accreditation.
The Technical Advisor Program is evaluating new facilitation services in several areas and may soon release new programs for Succession Management and Management Auditing. A recent project was conducted in Coweta County, Georgia, where one of our teams conducted a management audit of a growing multijurisdictional, multiservice 911 communications center. The Technical Advisor Program is dynamic, flexible, and able to provide customized services to meet the needs of agencies and departments.
For more information on the CPSE Technical Advisor Program or to learn about the services that are available, contact Rick Fagan, CPSE Technical Advisor Program Manager, by email, rfagan@publicsafetyexcellence.org, or by phone, (913) 904-8292. Let us provide your agency with a proposal for any of these services.
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Chief Officer Mentoring Program
The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) recently launched the first-of-its-kind Chief Officer Mentoring program, which is designed to match tenured, experienced mentors with protégés—new fire chiefs, those second in command, and individuals contemplating the top position.
Succession planning and the development of leaders is one of the greatest challenges we face in the fire service. This program is designed to prepare chief officers to step into their roles with real-world experience beyond the formal Academic and Certificate tracks.
Protégés can rate nearly 80 areas in 14 different categories, including governance/policies, finance, liability/legal issues, inherited issues, personnel issues, and leadership skills.
For the protégé, the mentoring program:
- Expands professional expertise
- Increases likelihood of success for the individual and the department
- Helps avoid pitfalls and provides learning through real-life examples
- Enhances feelings of worth
- Builds confidence through achievements
- Provides counsel and support
For the mentor, the experience:
- Provides the personal reward of helping develop new leaders
- Improves skills and techniques learned through the experience and training
- Provides an excellent service to the fire service profession
- Is valued by organizations and respected by colleagues
To become a mentor, one must complete an application identifying qualifications and areas of expertise and the CPC-sponsored Chief Officer Mentoring: Train-the-Trainer workshop. Mentors also must either be a current Chief Fire Officer designee or obtain the designation within 12 months of becoming a mentor.
The Chief Officer Mentoring Train-the-Trainer workshop is a six-hour class designed to help mentors understand their role in the process. The next workshop is scheduled for March 2010. Details regarding dates and location will be announced in the coming weeks.
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Upcoming Workshops
January 6–8, 2010
St. Petersburg, FL
Self-Assessment and Basic SOC
January 12, 2010
Stafford, VA
Chief Officer Designation – A Guide to Completing the Designation Process
January 13–15, 2010
Stafford, VA
Self-Assessment and Basic SOC
February 9–11, 2010
Groton, CT
DoD Personnel Only
Self-Assessment and Basic SOC
February 17–19, 2010
Houston, TX
Self-Assessment and Basic SOC
March 22-24, 2010
Gold Canyon, AZ
Self-Assessment and Basic SOC
April 14-16, 2010
Lenexa, KS
Self-Assessment and Basic SOC
May 11-13, 2010
Calgary, AB, Canada
Self-Assessment and Basic SOC
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Photo Award Announcement
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AWARDS CEREMONY PHOTOS
Please take time to view the photographs of the designees and accredited agencies recognized during the CPSE 10th annual awards ceremony. You can view the photos online at http://www.fireattack.com and scroll down to the 2009 CPSE Awards Banquet gallery. You can also purchase photos directly through Craig Hacker Photography. Instructions for ordering are on the website. |
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2010 CPSE Excellence Conference
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