Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the new fire accreditation process by analyzing both quantitative and qualitative indices to determine if the process resulted in more effective service delivery and if the process could be used as a measuring tool for fire services. Methodology. The sample consisted of twenty-five fire departments having populations ranging from 250,000 or more to 24,999 to 10,000. Organizational effectiveness indicators in two service areas—fire suppression and fire prevention were used. A cross-sectional time-series design with a comparison group captured data before and after accreditation. The accredited data were then compared with data from nonaccredited departments, which had been matched by population category and fire risk characteristics. Two questions solicited the opinion of fire accreditation managers. One determined if organizational effectiveness increased and the other determined if the process could be used as a measuring tool for services. Findings. This study found the fire accreditation process does increase organizational effectiveness in 72 percent of the quantitative measurement categories. This study contained three measures of fire suppression effectiveness using fifty quantitative measurement points. Of the fifty points, 18 percent were not statistically significant with 4 percent indicating a decrease in organizational effectiveness. Fire accreditation managers mostly agreed (86.9 percent) that the process does increase organizational effectiveness; likewise, most (86.9 percent) agreed the process could be used as a tool to measure fire services. Conclusions. The fire accreditation process does increase organizational effectiveness. However, the increase is slight in some areas accompanied by a small decrease in a few categories. At the time of this study, the sample size was small and the slight increase may be a result of the sample size. However, the increase is encouraging as well as the attitudes of the accreditation managers who support the concept. Few departments embraced TQM practices. It seems the accreditation process could lead to a new valuable organizational measuring tool needed by the fire service to replace the ISO grading schedule. Recommendations. The CFAI should solicit assistance from other fire service organizations to encourage nonaccredited fire departments to embrace the process. They should also continue the recommendation of implementing TQM practices; it may assist in larger increases in organizational effectiveness. As more departments become accredited, a benchmarking of service levels should be implemented by the CFAI in order to establish a level of service to measure against. Once in place, the accreditation process can be used as a measuring tool.