McKinney Fire Department Among Only 27 Statewide To Earn Prestigious Award

The McKinney Fire Department once again earned a prestigious recognition, reaffirming its status as one of the top fire departments in Texas. The department was recently redesignated as a "Best Practices Fire Department" by the Texas Fire Chiefs Association (TFCA), an honor that highlights its continued commitment to excellence, professionalism, and community service. 

This distinction is not easily achieved; out of more than 1,500 fire departments across the state, only 27 currently hold this elite designation. 

What This Means

The best practices designation recognizes departments that go beyond minimum state requirements and voluntarily hold themselves to a higher bar. In practical terms, it signals that McKinney’s fire department is following some of the most current and rigorous standards in the fire service profession — and has the systems in place to keep improving.

With this latest redesignation, McKinney joins a small group of fire departments statewide — and nationwide — working to set the pace for the industry. 

Chief Paul Dow accepted the redesignation award on April 16 during the TFCA’s annual conference in Waco. “This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to high performance, safety and continuous improvement in service to the McKinney community,” Dow said.

How McKinney Keeps Its Designation 

McKinney first earned the designation in 2017. However, this recognition is not a one-time achievement. To maintain the designation, departments must undergo a rigorous reapplication process every five years, demonstrating that they continue to meet and adapt to evolving standards within the fire service profession. 

The renewal process is comprehensive and demanding, beginning with a detailed self-assessment in which the department critically evaluates its own operations, policies and procedures. This is followed by an independent peer review conducted by experienced fire service professionals from outside the department, ensuring objectivity and fairness. 

Departments are evaluated against 117 benchmarks that span a wide range of critical areas, including emergency response effectiveness, training and professional development, administrative practices, ethical conduct and community risk reduction and safety initiatives. By successfully completing this extensive review process, the McKinney Fire Department once again proved its dedication to the highest standards of service to the community.

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