The Texas Fire Chiefs Association (TFCA) Best Practices Recognition Program has awarded the “Recognized Best Practices Fire Department” designation to the Prosper Fire Department following an exhaustive internal review that measured its level of adherence to a comprehensive list of best practices.
The Fire Department was notified of the successful submission for the designation on May 5, and during a future Town Council meeting, the formal awarding will be symbolically accomplished. “We are, of course, extremely honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” says Fire Chief Stuart Blasingame. “This accomplishment could not have been possible without the hard work of the Fire Department staff as well as the unconditional support of our Mayor, Council, and Town Manager. With over 1,500 fire departments in the state, it’s an honor to be one of only 23 departments that have achieved this recognition.”
For almost two years, the department embarked on a process of examining compliance in areas such as Administration and Organization, Emergency Medical Service, Fire Prevention, Risk Reduction, Community Outreach, Safety and Health, and Professional Standards and Conduct based on the more than 117 best business practices for fire departments in the State of Texas. These best practices were developed by Fire Service professionals to assist agencies in the efficient and effective delivery of service to communities.
“This designation is certainly not a surprise to anyone who is familiar with our Fire Department,” says Town Manager Harlan Jefferson. “The work, the training, the dedication, the professionalism from top to bottom are evident on a daily basis. Our residents and business owners already know the extremely high value of our Fire Department, and now the entire state of Texas is aware.”
The Recognized designation verifies that the Prosper Fire Department is using the most current best practices in the profession. It also means that the department is meeting its professional obligations to the Town’s residents and businesses.
Upon completion of the department’s internal review, an outside audit and review was requested. The final on-site review was conducted by trained Fire Chiefs and Assistant Fire Chiefs from other areas of the state. The result of this review was then sent to the Texas Fire Chiefs Best Practices Recognition Board for final analysis, resulting in the decision to award the “Recognized” status to the local department. More information on the program can be found at: https://www.txfirechiefs.org/tfca_best_practices_recognition_program/.
