Local fire department receives special recognition

Posted: Aug 18, 2008 10:28 PM EDT

Updated: Aug 19, 2008 01:48 AM EDT
Local fire department receives special recognition

Washington Township Firefighters received a special recognition at Monday's township meeting. They became the first in the Miami Valley to achieve accreditation thorough the Commission on Fire Accreditation International or CFAI.
CFAI recognizes departments who meet a set of standards. They must assess their community's needs and then a method for the fire department to evaluate their own performance.
Washington Township is one of only six departments in the state and 127 in the world to be recognized.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WDTN) - Washington Township Firefighters received a special recognition at Monday's township meeting. They became the first in the Miami Valley to achieve accreditation thorough the Commission on Fire Accreditation International or CFAI.
CFAI recognizes departments who meet a set of standards. They must assess their community's needs and then a method for the fire department to evaluate their own performance.

According to the Washington Township Fire Department Chief William Gaul, it's been a long road, but worth the trip.

"We don't accept our strengths as the ending point it's the starting point and we look at our weaknesses as something we really need to tackle immediately and move forward also it's a continuous process and we are going to strive to continually do better," Gaul said.

Washington Township is one of only six departments in the state and 127 in the world to be recognized.

"We're very proud of this accomplishment to be the first one in the Miami Valley that's a huge honor for Washington Township to be one of 6 in the state we are very proud of that," said Township Administrator Jesse Lightle.

The accreditation process began in February 2003.

Report by Megan O'Rourke, WDTN.