The Emergency Response (ER) Division at Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) received reaccreditation from the US-based Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE).
The unanimous approval on this prestigious conferment as an ‘Accredited Agency’ followed a public hearing last week in Orlando, United States. Qatargas first received the CFAI accreditation in 2015 when it was the first entity in the Middle East, and the first industrial fire brigade in the world, to receive such status.
Representatives of the ER Division, led by Hassan Jassim Abu Khamis, Emergency Response & Security Manager, received the accreditation certificate following a virtual hearing session with the Commission members. The Accreditation Commission is governed by an eleven-member council representing a cross-section of the fire service industry, including fire departments, city and county management, code councils, the U.S. Department of Defence, and the International Association of Firefighters.
Commenting on this accomplishment, Khalid bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chief Executive Officer, Qatargas, said: “This outstanding achievement recognizes the priority Qatargas places on protecting its people, the environment and its assets. We seek to maintain and operate our plants safety and in line with the highest international standards. This important re-accreditation by the CPSE is a testament to that commitment.”
Khalifa Ahmed Al-Sulaiti, A/Chief Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Officer, Qatargas, said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious accreditation as this continues to keep Qatargas at the forefront of some 250 accredited agencies around the world. The accreditation process is a proactive mechanism whereby the team is required to develop a five-year strategic plan, as well as a comprehensive risk-monitoring programme. This designation affirms that our firefighters are providing the highest level of service and professionalism, with the objective of protecting lives and the assets of Qatargas.”
He added that the CPSE-accreditation was the culmination of an 18-month long documentation and assessment exercise which evaluated the current and future service levels of the ER Division. “Even though it was reaccreditation, the process was demanding and challenging for us as an industrial organisation. For the first time, Qatargas South and Barzan facilities went through this process. Maintaining the accredited status is a big win for our firefighters and our organization as a whole.”
The CPSE provides the only accreditation programme for Fire & Rescue Emergency Management Service organisations in the world. Established in 1986, CPSE is a non-profit organisation that serves as the governing body for organisations offering accreditation, education, and credentialing services to agencies and fire service industry professionals. The CPSE’s accreditation programme is a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation model that enables fire and emergency service organisations to examine past, current, and future service levels and performance and compare them to industry best practices. CPSE is dedicated to assisting the fire and emergency services agencies around the world in achieving excellence through self-assessment and accreditation in order to provide continuous quality improvement and the enhancement of service delivery to their communities.