News Flash

Aug. 25, 2021 - Hampton’s Division of Fire and Rescue has received international accreditation for another five years. The division was first accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International in 2016.

Hampton was the first combination fire and rescue agency in the Commonwealth, and only one of ten internationally, to be both internationally accredited and hold the highest Insurance Services Office rating of “1.”

Fewer than 300 agencies are accredited; about 12% of the U.S. population is covered by an accredited fire and/or rescue department.

The accreditation process uses a thorough self-assessment that promotes the establishment of community-adopted performance targets for fire and emergency service agencies. Departments commit to a continuous quality improvement and enhancement of service delivery to their communities. The accreditation also ensures that departments meet safety and training targets for staff.

Hampton Fire Chief Jason Monk called the process "a proactive mechanism to plan for the future of this agency and locate areas where we can improve on the quality of the services we provided.” 

City Manager Mary Bunting congratulated the division: “This process supports a greater community alignment while meeting the motto, mission, vision, and goals of both the City and the department. The Division is clearly focused on providing excellent service, which exceeds customer expectations.”