PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) -- After a rigorous two-year process, the Peoria Fire Department has officially earned Accredited Agency status from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), placing it among an elite group of departments nationwide.

Only 14 fire departments in Illinois currently hold this recognition, and just over 300 are accredited across the United States.

Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger said that the department conducted an in-depth self-assessment, followed by a third-party site visit and evaluation. The process involved reviewing internal policies, operational effectiveness, community risk reduction efforts, and interviews with both internal and external stakeholders.

“To have a third party come in, analyze what you do, and give you that level of certification, i

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