The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) recognizes the effects our current pandemic is having and that it will continue to impact all of us for longer than what was originally anticipated. We have been analyzing how best to continue to facilitate Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) site visits and hearings in light of travel and/or financials restrictions. The information in this notice supplements the April 2020 notice which detailed the impacts of the cancellation of the August 2020 CFAI hearing cycle.
Where full in-person site visits are not possible, CFAI has voted to allow hybrid site visits.
Hybrid site visits should be used if peer team members are facing travel/quarantine restrictions, are not feeling well, or have risks that prevent them from traveling.
- A three to six-person peer team will be assigned to each agency based on size and complexity of the organization.
- A minimum of two peer assessors must travel to conduct onsite verification and validation of agency documents.
- The remaining one to four peer assessors will conduct their interviews virtually using currently available video conferencing platforms.
- On site peer assessors may follow up with the agency on any unresolved items from virtual interviews.
On a case-by-case basis, CFAI will consider virtual site visits.
- Agencies may only request a virtual site visit based on the following:
- Recent excessive budget reductions due to the pandemic.
- Travel restrictions as determined by state and/or local authorities.
- Agencies will submit their request for a virtual site visit, with justification, to Karl Ristow, CFAI Program Director who will confer with the commission chair and vice-chair before rendering a decision.
NOTE: Agencies are cautioned to consider the technological requirements for virtual and hybrid site visits and whether they will be able to facilitate a community tour, walk through of facilities, etc. During our testing of alternate site visit formats, agencies reported challenges with extensive use of video conferencing products.
CFAI has voted to conduct virtual commission hearings through December of 2021. Hearings will be scheduled in monthly four-hour blocks, as needed. Agencies will be notified approximately three weeks before their virtual hearing date and time. The hearings will follow a similar process as in person except they will be conducted through CPSE’s video conferencing products.
After the hearings are completed, CPSE will have the plaques engraved and shipped directly to the agency. Should an agency wish to have a virtual plaque presentation at a staff or council meeting, please contact Karl Ristow, CFAI Program Director and we will coordinate to have a commissioner available to do so.
Given the alternate hearing schedule, adjustments in accreditation dates and corresponding changes in ACR and annual fee due dates are necessary. We have developed a matrix to assist agencies in understanding the new dates. Agencies are encouraged to upload documents and schedule site visits as early as possible to assist with peer team availability.
Below is a matrix to help guide you through the changes:
|
Current Accreditation Expiration Date |
Final Documents Upload Date |
Site Visit Deadline |
New Hearing Date |
Accreditation Expiration Date |
Next ACR due date |
Next Annual Fee date |
|
August 2020 |
September 30, 2020 |
Week of January 11th, 2021 |
October 2020 |
August 2025 |
July 15, 2021; each July thereafter |
July 1, 2021; each July thereafter |
|
August 2020 |
September 30, 2020 |
Week of January 11th, 2021 |
December 2020 to March 2021 |
March 2026 |
February 15, 2022; each February thereafter |
July 1, 2021 (1/2 fee); January 1, 2022 and each January thereafter |
|
March 2021 |
March 15, 2021 |
Week of May 24th, 2021 |
April 2021 to July 2021 |
August 2026 |
July 2022; each July thereafter |
January 1, 2022 (1/2 fee); July 1, 2022 and each July thereafter |
|
August 2021 |
March 15, 2021 |
Week of May 24th, 2021 |
July 2021 to November 2021 |
August 2026 |
July 2022; each July thereafter |
July 1, 2022 and each July thereafter |
|
OPTIONAL August 2021 |
July 1, 2021 |
Week of October 25th, 2021 |
December 2021 |
March 2027 |
February 15, 2023; each February thereafter |
July 1, 2022 (1/2 fee); January 1, 2023 and each January thereafter |
Extensions
Agencies needing additional time, beyond the additional time built into the matrix above, must follow the policy for extensions outlined in the CFAI Policy and Procedures manual.
In April 2020, all current applicant agencies were provided an automatic one-year extension of your status. This extension did not impact an agency’s ability to seek further extensions, if needed. Please contact Karl Ristow, CFAI Program Director to understand how this extension fits in with the matrix above.
The implementation date for the CFAI 10th edition remains unchanged. Agencies appearing before CFAI in March 2022 will be accredited under the 10th edition. These agencies are required to upload accreditation documents based on the 10th edition no later than September 30, 2021.