Come on out and be a part of Texas Fire Service history. Tonight at the Irving City Council Meeting the Irving Fire Department will be the first fire department to ever be awarded the Best Practices designation from the Texas Fire Chiefs Association.

The Best Practices Recognition Program was developed by fire service professionals from across the State of Texas to assist fire departments with developing efficient and effective emergency service delivery programs for their communities. This program is a self-evaluation that looks at 117 Best Business Practices in 12 categories for fire departments in the State of Texas. The program was not introduced until the Texas Municipal League conference in November 2012 where it became the first state level fire department accreditation program in the country. On January 6, 2014 the Texas Fire Chiefs Association announced that the Irving Fire Department received the award and designation of “Recognized Best Practices Fire Department.”

Part of the Best Practices process was the development of a strategic plan for the Irving Fire Department. A work group of field officers was recruited for this task and this group was chaired by Battalion Chief John Sherburn. Chief Sherburn started the very first meeting by highlighting the fact that history was being made that very day. He stated,

Never in the history of the Irving Fire Department has a group of officers been gathered to provide guidance and direction to the Irving Fire Department. With this meeting we are making history and we have a duty to provide a document that will give direction to the fire department for the citizens and for guys that are just hiring on.

With the completion of the Best Practices Recognition Program history is again being made. We would appreciate you coming out to be a part of it tonight at 7:00 PM in the Irving City Council Chambers 825 W. Irving Blvd. Irving, TX 75060.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5OTteqtDc

For more information about TFCA Best Practices see the articles below…

The Case for Implementing the Texas Fire Chief’s Association Best Practices – Part 1 – We’ve Never Left One Burning… Why Not Keep Doing What We’ve Been Doing?

The Case for Implementing the Texas Fire Chief’s Association Best Practices – Part 2 – Change is Hard… So How Can We Use the Theory of Diffusion of Innovation to Help Us Improve?

The Case for Implementing the Texas Fire Chiefs Association Best Practices – Part 3 – The Texas Fire Chief’s Association Best Practices Recognition Program – What Is It?

The Case for Implementing Texas Fire Chiefs Association Best Practices – Part 4 – The Texas Fire Chief’s Association Best Practices Recognition Program – Why It Was Important For The Irving Fire Department