Written by Tanya Terry
This month, it was announced that the Flint Fire Department officially received the “Gold Standard,” the highest level of accreditation offered by the Commission on Accreditation Of Ambulance Services (CAAS).
At a press conference held at the Flint Fire Department Headquarters on Fifth Street, Mayor Sheldon Neeley stated:
“Just a few short years ago, we didn’t have our own ambulance emergency services. We now have four rigs, three in active rotation to engage with our firefighters here. These hard working men and women here at Flint Fire Department are saving lives each and every day. ”
Neeley said the accreditation was no small feat.
He added: “This is the gold standard. Chief Theron Wiggins, under his great leadership, he has taken us to a great place: number one in passing out smoke detectors, fire prevention activity and engaged activities.
“Now, with our ambulance service saving lives each and every day, it is a great day inside the city of Flint.”
Wiggins stated: “We are all excited today in the fire department because two years ago…the Genesee County Medical Control Authority ordered us that we have to be accredited in two years. So in two years, I thank God that we are now accredited for the City of Flint. And this accreditation means a whole lot. The mayor says this is the gold standard. There’s only 30 to 35 fire stations in the nation that are accredited….
“…They examine our Finance Department, our HR Department, our Fleet Department, all of those departments and the Law Department had to be heavily scrutinized for us to be nationally accredited.”
Wiggins stated the Flint Fire Department had hired a medical coordinator, Jim Cooper of L&C EMS Consulting, LLC. Cooper stated he is EMS coordinator for the Flint Fire Department.
Cooper said: “It was a rigorous thing for us to get through this CAAS accreditation process. The process itself included doing a top to bottom review of our fire department, making sure that we properly had what we need against the 100 CAAS accreditation standards that we had to have. On top of that, they also brought in EMS experts to come in to make sure that we were in compliance in real time.”
Cooper said for community members it meant every time they call 911, they will receive world class care from a great EMS service and also from great EMTs.
“We sought out on this particular journey saying that we had to be able to save lives inside the city of Flint, whether it be an overdose, a heart attack or stroke,” stated Neeley. “We wanted to make sure Flint residents were taken care of. We knew it was emergency status all throughout Genesee County, with the private companies that came in to provide it-medical transport units. We couldn’t wait. So we sought out and we got ambulance service for ourselves.
“This is not at an increased cost to residents of the city of Flint, but this is an investment in our community…”said Neeley.
Neeley thanked the state for providing resources, State Representative Cynthia Neeley and individuals on the Flint City council that supported the work and expansion of the Flint Fire Department. He also expressed gratitude that the federal government and the county also knew the importance of the accreditation.
“I have been very supportive of our fire department: the men and women that put their lives on the line daily to do the work that they are doing,” stated Flint City Council President Candice Mushatt.
She added: “…It also makes me excited to know that we have that lovely training facility coming, because that means we are equipped to help other fire departments train…and do the work that they’re already doing.
Mushatt said the accreditation shows that Flint is progressing and that residents can count on their fire department.
