Geneva Fire Department One of Just 8 in Illinois to Receive International Accreditation

The has received Accredited Agency status with the Commission on Accreditation International.

That might not sound like a big deal, but in fire department circles, it is.

Geneva was one of 146 agencies in the United States and eight in Illinois to achieve that status. Others in Illinois include Countryside Fire Protection District, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Mokena, Naperville, Riverwoods-Lincolnshire, Westmont, Wilmette, Skokie and Rockford.

The CFAI is dedicated to helping fire departments and emergency service agencies throughout the world get better. It provides a model to assess performance and service delivery, then works with a team of peers to evaluate the self-assessment.

Mayor Kevin Burns says the accreditation translates to real-life benefits for the citizens of Geneva.

"(It) demonstrates the commitment of the department to provide the highest quality of service to our community," he said.

Fire Chief Steve Olson said the accreditation helps the department plan for the future and "locate areas where we can improve on the quality of the services we provided."

This is the third time the department has earned the award. The first was in 2001 and the second in 2006.