International Accreditation
The Asheville Fire Department is Internationally Accredited by the Center for Public Safety Excellence. There are currently only 142 Fire Departments worldwide who have earned this distinction. Accreditation is evaluation of a fire department’s capabilities utilizing a continuous self improvement process. Asheville Fire Department earned initial accredited agency status in 2005 and has been re-accredited in 2010. This process included identifying what is at risk in our community and determining the probability and consequence of loss through a risk hazard analysis. A standard of cover was then applied, which is a service level objective for how the department responds to these risks that affect the community. Asheville Fire Department is 1 of only 8 agencies in North Carolina who have earned accredited agency status.
More information on Fire Service Accreditation is available at: http://www.publicsafetyexcellence.org/
ISO
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) provides data to the insurance industry related to a community’s capability to deliver fire protection. Insurance companies use this data to determine insurance premium rates for its customers. In North Carolina, this data is collected by the Office of the State Fire Marshal through an inspection every 5 years. This inspection results in the community receiving a rating from 1 to 10. A rating of 1 indicates the highest level of fire protection and a rating of 10 indicates no fire protection available. Asheville Fire Department is currently rated a protection of 3.
More information on the North Carolina Response Rating System is available at http://www.ncdoi.com/OSFM/RI/ri_home.asp
Performance Measurement and Benchmarking
The Asheville Fire Department measures its performance quarterly to ensure that we are making progress toward meeting Asheville City Council’s Strategic Plan’s goals and objectives.
The Asheville Fire Department's performance is also measured through our standard of cover. This is a measure of the department’s ability to place apparatus and personnel on the scene of an emergency. Many emergencies require more than first arriving firefighters and one piece of apparatus, therefore the standard of cover also measures our ability to assemble the full complement of firefighters and equipment that is necessary to completely handle an emergency. The Asheville Fire Department's adopted Standard of Cover is:
Service Level Objectives for Distribution
For all incidents in the coverage area with a population density classification of Metropolitan or Urban, the first due unit shall arrive with 5 minutes and 12 seconds travel time, 90 percent of the time.
For all incidents in the coverage area with a population density classification of Suburban, the first due unit shall arrive within 6 minutes and 30 seconds travel time, 90 percent of the time.
For all incidents in the coverage area with a population density classification of Rural, the first due unit shall arrive within 13 minutes travel time, 90 percent of the time.
Service Level Objectives for Concentration
For all incidents in the coverage area with a population density classification of Metropolitan or Urban, the second due unit shall arrive within 10 minutes and 24 seconds travel time, and the remaining total effective response force shall arrive within 10 minutes and 24 seconds travel time, 90 percent of the time.
For all incidents in the coverage area with a population density classification of Suburban, the second due unit shall arrive within 10 minutes and 24 seconds travel time, and the remaining total effective response force shall arrive within 13 minutes travel time, 90 percent of the time.
For all incidents in fire management zones with a population density classification of Rural, the second due unit shall arrive within 18 minutes and 12 seconds travel time, and the remaining total effective response force shall arrive within 18 minutes and 12 seconds travel time, 90 percent of the time.
The Asheville Fire Department benchmarks its performance with other municipalities in North Carolina through the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government’s North Carolina Benchmarking Project. Benchmarking is also conducted through the ICMA’s Center for Performance Measurement. The Asheville Fire Department consistently performs at the highest levels in the fire service when benchmarked with other municipalities in the state and nation.
