Barking Sands Fire Department Awarded International Accreditation Status

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Samantha Jetzer | 220829-N-ML137-1015 KEKAHA, HI (Aug. 29, 2022) From right to left, Capt. Brett Stevenson, commanding officer of Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Fire Chief Oric Kuapahi, Assistant Fire Chief Bill Mielcke, and Scott Taylor, PMRF’s security and emergency services manager, pose in front of an accreditation plaque from the Commission on Fire Accreditation, International (CFAI) at the base fire house during a ceremony. CFAI is the only accrediting body for U.S. fire departments, and this status is the fourth in a row earned by PMRF’s fire department. PMRF is the world’s largest instrumented multi-environment range capable of supporting surface, subsurface, air and space operations simultaneously. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Samantha Jetzer)  

KEKAHA, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

08.30.2022

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Samantha Jetzer 

Pacific Missile Range Facility

Oric Kuapahi, fire chief of Barking Sands Fire and Emergency Services (BSF&ES), was joined by Capt. Brett Stevenson, commanding officer of Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), to hang an accreditation plaque during a ceremony on Aug. 29 at the base fire house.

BSF&ES was awarded international accreditation status on Aug. 16 from the Commission on Fire Accreditation, International (CFAI). CFAI is the only accrediting body for U.S. fire departments. This latest accreditation is the fourth in a row for PMRF’s fire department and is valid for five years.

“I want to emphasize that this has been a department- wide effort and not just the work of the team in the picture,” said Kuapahi. “We are always looking for ways to improve our training and capabilities. This award shows our continued dedication to the community.”

CFAI’s purpose is to promote the highest quality fire support to the community. This is done through a very comprehensive, intense process involving a departmental self-assessment, an on-site assessment from fire professionals on the mainland, and an appearance before a commission hearing for a final decision.

“Our mission is to provide fire and emergency services to PMRF to minimize the risk of injuries, loss of life, damage and loss of property,” said Scott Taylor, PMRF’s security and emergency services manager. “This accreditation signifies that we are performing this mission to the highest possible standard. Our job now is to continuously improve for even better execution.”

This year’s commission hearing was in Denver where three Koa Lani representatives defended BSF&ES, consisting of Kuapahi, Taylor, and Bill Mielcke, BSF&ES’s assistant fire chief.

“As a matter of perspective, of the thousands of fire departments in the U.S. and elsewhere, there are only 301 CFAI-accredited departments,” said Taylor. “Seventy two of them reside within the Department of Defense and 18 reside within the U.S. Navy. In the state of Hawaii, there are only three. Needless to say, the fire department is very proud.”

• Date Taken: 08.30.2022
• Date Posted: 09.16.2022 22:31
• Story ID: 429545
• Location: KEKAHA, HAWAII, US