The CFAI accreditation process includes providing agencies with an internationally-recognized and distinct self-assessment model for each agency to evaluate the quality of their fire and emergency service operations and assess their mission, goals, objectives and resource allocations in mitigating their jurisdiction’s risks and hazards. This third accreditation serves to reaffirm MDFR’s unwavering commitment to save and protect life and property with the highest ethical and operational standards, while continuously introducing new concepts and methods to meet the rapid demands of the fire service and improving operations to provide the latest, value-added fire-rescue services to the community that it serves on a daily basis.

“We are very proud to have been granted accreditation following the favorable recommendation made by the Peer Assessment Team that conducted the on-site and virtual review of MDFR last month,” said Fire Chief Alan Cominsky. “I am incredibly proud of each member of our department for their hard work and dedication in ensuring accreditation standards are met and for their professionalism throughout this entire process. Congratulations to all for this accomplishment!"

Originally operating as a single-unit fire patrol in 1935, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is the largest accredited fire-rescue department in the Southeast United States and the second largest in the Nation. With 71 fire rescue stations within unincorporated Miami-Dade County serving 29 municipalities, MDFR has units dedicated to serving the airport, seaport, and air transport services, as well as to serving in ocean rescue, fire and rescue, marine, hazardous materials, urban search and rescue (US&R), technical rescue, and venom response operations.

Throughout the years, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue has been recognized for its achievements in fire and emergency service operations. Among some of the achievements, MDFR was first accredited by CFAI in 2010. MDFR’s FL-TF1 was named Search and Rescue Responders of 2010. In 2013, MDFR received The Excellence in Fire-Service-Based Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Award in recognition of best practices in EMS by fire departments in the United States, while MDFR’s Advanced Life Support (ALS) Competition Teams have been holding their winning streak at EMS Challenges since 2010.

Through self-assessment every five years, the CFAI accreditation process helps fire and emergency service agencies worldwide achieve excellence by evaluating, enhancing, and improving the quality of the services they provide to their communities. With this accreditation, MDFR remains the largest accredited fire-rescue department in the Southeast, and second largest in the Nation. MDFR is honored to be part of an elite group of 281 fire departments accredited in North America, a continent with over 30,000 fire departments in the United States and another 6,000 in Canada.

For more information, please contact MDFR’s Media and Public Relations Bureau at 305-814-8051.