Title
Reaccreditation and Adoption of Gainesville Fire Rescue Strategic Plan and Standards of Cover (B)
This item requests the City Commission recognize GFR’s reaccreditation with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and adopt the agency’s Strategic Plan and Standards of Cover.
Explanation
Gainesville Fire Rescue (GFR) achieved accredited status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) in March 2014 and has successfully maintained accreditation status each subsequent year. At the five-year mark, the CFAI conducts a site visit with agencies seeking reaccreditation through a peer team of fire service professionals from CFAI member agencies. In December 2018, GFR and our partners, including the City’s Human Resources Department, the City’s Fleet Department, Gainesville Regional Utilities, and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Combined Communications Center to name a few, completed a week-long site visit of all GFR facilities and programs. On March 13th, 2019, Assistant City Manager Dan Hoffman, Fire Chief Jeff Lane, and Accreditation Manager District Chief David McIntire, appeared before the 11-member Commission of the CFAI at the Center for Public Safety Excellence Conference in Anaheim, CA. After a thorough review of the peer team leader’s report and the documentation provided by GFR, the Commission awarded Reaccredited Status to Gainesville Fire Rescue for 2019-2024.
CFAI accreditation is based on three cornerstones: The agency’s strategic plan, its standards of cover (SOC), and an extensive self-assessment for all program areas. As part of the annual accreditation process, the agency presents two of these documents, the GFR Strategic Plan and the GFR SOC, to the City Commission for adoption. During FY19, GFR Deputy Chief JoAnne Rice worked closely with members of the City’s Strategic Initiatives and Human Resources department - Samantha Wolfe, Laura Graetz, and Kristine Crothers - to remodel GFR’s existing strategic plan to ensure community-driven goals and objectives and alignment with the City’s Strategic Initiatives. The newly developed Strategic Plan and the updated Standards of Cover are both dynamic documents that should be updated and adopted annually.
Fiscal Note
There is no fiscal note for this item.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) hear a presentation; 2) recognize Gainesville Fire Rescue’s reaccredited status, and 3) adopt the GFR Strategic Plan and Standards of Cover.