DELAND, Fla. — The DeLand Fire Department is the first internationally accredited department in Volusia County.

The department received accredited agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) for meeting the criteria established through the CFAI’s voluntary self-assessment and accreditation program.

DeLand Fire is one of more than 300 agencies in the U.S. — and one of 31 in the state — to achieve accredited status with the CFAI and the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc. (CPSE).

They are also the first department in Volusia County to earn ISO Class 1 status. According to DeLand Fire, less than 1% of fire departments receive this rating.

“I am extremely proud of our fire department,” said Mayor Chris Cloudman in a released statement. “This accreditation is a reflection of the dedication, professionalism, and high standards upheld by the men and women of the DeLand Fire Department. Their commitment to excellence and tireless work helps make our community safer and stronger.”

Through the accreditation, the CFAI provides an agency with an improvement model to assess their service delivery and performance internally, and then works with a team of peers from other agencies to verify and validate their completed self-assessment.

DeLand Fire Chief Todd Allen said in a news release that the process took about three years from start to finish, which included conducting a community risk assessment and meeting with community stakeholders to receive input.

The department also received recommendations to focus on like planning for future growth and internal training practices, Allen said in a release.