For years, Fire Chief Carle Bishop kept his eye on the prize; International Fire Accreditation. The coveted rating is the highest recognition a fire department can achieve and requires all members of the department to develop and maintain the highest standards of fire safety excellence.
This week, Clermont Fire Department became Lake County’s first department to earn the Commission on Fire Accreditation International’s accreditation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. Of the nearly 500 fire departments and stations in Florida, only 22 have earned accreditation.
“We have been working on achieving accreditation for three years,” said Chief Carle Bishop. “It is an honor and recognition of the daily commitment our men and women bring to their mission of saving lives and property.”
The final step of the accreditation process, which examined the department in 10 categories that included administration, training, and competency, was held at the Caribe Royale in Orlando today. The process exhaustively looked at the fire department’s programs, resources, and planning. The department also conducted internal and external focus groups assessing perceptions of the department’s service to the community.
Clermont City Manager Darren Gray applauded the department’s big milestone and said accreditation emphasizes the city’s promise to provide exceptional service.
“This accreditation provides tangible evidence to our citizens of what they already knew – that the Clermont Fire Department is second to none.”
The Clermont Fire Department has 83 full-time employees and operates four stations, including one joint station with Lake County. The department has an ISO Class 2 rating. This nationally-recognized standard is based on extensive criteria that evaluate a department’s ability to protect people and property. The rating is only achieved by about 2 percent of the departments evaluated in America. The rating is considered by many insurance companies when deciding insurance premium ratings.
Clermont Fire Chief Carle Bishop, a fourth generation resident of Clermont, has been Chief since 1990 and a firefighter for most of his life. Congratulations to Fire Chief Carle Bishop, his Fire Department and the City of Clermont for going the extra mile to provide for the safety and well-being of the businesses and residents of Clermont
