Toronto Fire earns accredited agency status from CFAI

Feb. 29, 2024, Toronto – For the second consecutive time, Toronto Fire Services has received Accredited Agency Status from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and the Centre for Public Safety Excellence.

The status recognizes the department’s commitment to continuous quality improvement and delivery of world-class fire protection services that meet the needs of Toronto, the city said in a press release.

Toronto is the largest city in North America to be recognized with an internationally accredited fire service under CFAI, and it is one of only 310 agencies worldwide to earn such a status, which is now valid from 2024 through 2029.

The CFAI accreditation program provides a framework for fire services to set goals, develop evidence-based strategic action plans and improve fire protection services.

“This exhaustive, independent evaluation of every aspect of Toronto Fire Services’ performance, validates and affirms our continuing commitment to people-focused, analytics-informed decision making and our shared commitment to the delivery of truly world-class fire protection services in Toronto. I am beyond thankful for each and every member of our incredible team, who give their all in service to others each and every day,” Fire Chief Matthew Pegg said in a press release.

The journey to maintaining Accredited Agency Status involved an in-depth review of every aspect of Toronto Fire Services operations, which were evaluated against 250 key performance indicators and international best practices.

This included a detailed self-assessment, a comprehensive peer review by a panel of external experts, and formal verification by a 13-member commission, representing a cross-section of fire protection experts, senior municipal executives and labour association leadership executives from across North America.