The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) have announced their joint support for proposed changes to the 11th edition of the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) model.
As reported by the IAFF, the proposed revisions emphasize the importance of labor-management collaboration in improving fire department operations.
Key changes include mandates for better staffing, safety, and planning efforts, as well as procedural requirements to facilitate discussions between labor unions and administration.
Comments on the proposed revisions must be submitted by August 30.
Among the changes supported by the IAFF and IAFC are proposed criteria that fire apparatus be staffed with a minimum of four firefighters.
This proposed criterion aims to align fire departments with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
Additionally, the revisions call for proper maintenance of apparatus and adequate reserve vehicle fleets to ensure operational readiness.
IAFF representatives emphasized the need for agencies to create plans to meet these staffing and equipment standards if they cannot do so immediately.
The joint position of the IAFF and IAFC highlights the importance of labor-management collaboration in maintaining effective fire and emergency service agencies.
In their letter, IAFF General President Edward Kelly and IAFC President John Butler stated: “Encouraging quality improvement… requires the workforce and management to come together on a neutral ground.”
The proposed CFAI revisions call for a collaborative process in which labor and management jointly investigate unsafe acts, accidents, and other critical incidents to determine root causes and implement prevention strategies.
Following the 2022 IAFF convention’s resolution 29, the IAFF successfully lobbied for increased representation on the commissions of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE).
As a result, two new IAFF leaders, James Mitchell and Dave Coker, have been appointed to positions on the CPSE commissions.
The CPSE, which oversees the CFAI model, accredits fire departments across the U.S.
and includes a 13-member board with representatives from fire departments, city management, labor, and other sectors.
The IAFF and IAFC have publicly supported proposed changes to the CFAI model, as announced by the IAFF.
These revisions focus on improving labor-management collaboration, staffing levels, and apparatus safety standards within fire departments.
The changes include new criteria for staffing apparatus with a minimum of four firefighters and maintaining an adequately equipped and maintained reserve fleet.
The IAFF also announced increased representation on the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) commissions, further reinforcing their involvement in shaping the future of fire service accreditation.
