LRAFB Fire Department climbs ladder to excellence

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Scott Poe
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  The Little Rock Air Force Base Fire Department is now one of only three fire departments in Arkansas the 20th Air Force unit to earn accreditation from the prestigious Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

The accreditation process is no easy task. It takes years and the participation of every individual in the department. Don Smart, Little Rock Air Force Base Fire Department Fire Chief, was apprehensive at first, but after digging into the process, he realized the benefits it would yield for both the community and his firefighters.

"I was interested in improvement and growth; I asked myself how I can make this department better," Smart said. "I want to make the department a valuable asset to the community that we serve, and accreditation will instill more confidence in our customers."

Accreditation is a multifaceted and complex process. It consists of a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation from a peer assessment team. The team will then submit a final report to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. The commission then decides whether to grant, deny or defer accreditation.

"It took us about two years to prepare for the process and get to the point where we were ready to meet the commission," Smart said.

Although the process was lengthy and time-consuming, the firefighters kept their cool and maintained normal operations during the evaluation period.

"Accreditation allows us to give validity and credibility to those things we are saying we do well, while also highlighting areas we need to improve," said James Farrell, the fire department's training manager. "In the end, becoming accredited is all about improving what we do."

Now that the department has been granted accreditation, it doesn't mean they are done with the process.

"Accreditation is a change in the processes you do; it's a mindset change. It's how you manage the department. The processes and programs we have put to place have to be able to continue from now on," said Smart. "In five years, we will have to meet the commission again and they are going to want to see how we've changed and improved, and see that we are dedicated to improvement and growth within the department while bettering our services to our community."

The department also has mutual aid agreements with neighboring cities Jacksonville, North Little Rock and Little Rock, and the status serves as a sign of the quality partnerships base firefighters provide.

"Having accreditation will help them have confidence in what we do and how we do our jobs," Smart said. "I believe that will improve those relationships with our local communities."