Fire department’s improvements increase safety
The Lee’s Summit Fire Department takes great pride in providing the highest level of emergency services to its citizen and guests.
From its early days as a being one of the first fire departments to provide paramedic ambulance service in the state, the Lee’s Summit Fire Department has had a long tradition of being a progressive department.
We are constantly looking at ways to improve service delivery through the use of new technology and adopting new procedures and deployment strategies to reduce the loss of life and property.
The Lee’s Summit Fire Department recently received accredited status through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). The accreditation process included a self-assessment comparing the department to national standards, development of a Standards of Cover document, and the formulation of a five year Strategic Plan.
By gathering and analyzing data, the department is able to plan and make informed decisions on how it provides services now and in the future. In addition, the department gathered citizen input on its eight core programs to ensure we are meeting citizen expectations for an “all hazards” response agency in the areas of:
▪ Rescue- Basic and Advanced
▪ Fire Suppression
▪ Fire Prevention
▪ Hazardous Materials Mitigation
▪ Domestic Preparedness Planning
▪ Public Safety Education
▪ Fire Investigation
One of the benefits of the accreditation process has been the improvement of the City’s Public Protection Classification established by the Insurance Services Office The Office collects information on a community’s fire protection services and provides that information in the form of a Class 1 through Class 10 classification rating to insurance companies.
Class 1 represents the best public protection, and Class 10 indicates less than the minimum protection. During a recent survey, the Insurance Services Office looked at the department’s public fire protection data using the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule.
The Schedule looks at several specific areas, which is similar to what was looked at for accreditation. These included emergency communications (dispatch), facilities and equipment, training, response to emergencies, fire prevention activities, water supply for firefighting, water distribution, and record keeping. The survey resulted in the City’s rating improving from a Class 3 to a Class 2/2X.
ISO’s Public Protection Classification Program information plays an important part in the underwriting process used by most US insurers. The rating survey rewards communities that support and improve firefighting services and depending upon the insurance provider, may secure lower fire insurance premiums for personal and commercial properties.
Guided by our values of professionalism, respect, integrity, duty, and excellence (PRIDE), the members of the Lee’s Summit Department are committed to making Lee’s Summit the best and safest community to live and work in.
To contact the Lee’s Summit Fire Department, call (816) 969-1300. You can also find us on Facebook or on the web at LSfire.net.
This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Fire department’s improvements increase safety."