Buffalo Grove Fire Dept. Earns Prestigious International Accreditation

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — The Buffalo Grove Fire Department recently received accredited agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, a distinction shared by fewer than 325 agencies worldwide, according to the Village of Buffalo Grove.

To achieve the status, BGFD had to follow CFAI's accreditation model, which includes a comprehensive self-assessment consisting of 250 different performance indicators that cover the span of fire and emergency service operations.

"We welcomed the CFAI’s close examination of our processes as it offered a unique opportunity to evaluate how we do things and to see if there might be a different and better approach," Buffalo Grove Fire Chief Mike Baker said.

The distinction of being an "Internationally Accredited Agency" is bestowed upon agencies by CFAI and the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc.

"The Buffalo Grove community should be proud that its fire department is now one of only eleven fire departments within the state of Illinois to receive this meaningful recognition,” Village Manager Dane Bragg said. “Our residents expect the very best from their fire department, and this accreditation demonstrates the commitment of our fire and EMS professionals to providing them with the highest level of service.”

According to the Village, the BGFD’s accreditation journey began in 2019 and involved extensive work by Fire Management Analyst and Accreditation Manager Tyler Grace to compile nearly 600 pages of assessments and analyses along with over 350 different reference documents.

For more information, visit www.vbg.org or contact Communications and Community Engagement Director Molly Gillespie at 847-459-2501.