The Planning and Development Bureau, under the direction of Assistant Chief Joseph Vasquez, oversees research and special projects (i.e. accreditation, ISO, etc.) along with the management of the following divisions: Organizational Development and Planning, and Public Information Office.

Departmental Accreditation:   The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) is an agency that addresses performance indicators, and provides accreditation. This agency performs risks assessments and goals for reaching departmental accreditation. Dallas Fire-Rescue will be seeking accreditation in the future which will recognize our Department as meeting the Commission’s criteria for excellence.

ISO (Insurance Services Office) Certification: Adopted in February 1998, as the basis for rating municipal fire protection capabilities. ISO is an independent statistical rating and advisory company that serves the property and insurance industry; regulates the insurance industry in setting premium rates for Texas cities; and collects information and evaluates the community’s fire protection services. Services are rated every 10-12 years on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the best.

Mutual Aid:   The Dallas County Fire Chief’s Association, comprised of roughly 30 cities surrounding the City of Dallas created a Mutual Aid agreement. The agreement is to provide aid to other cities whose resources are focused on one or more fires or other city emergencies by providing additional equipment and resources from near-by cities.

Automatic Assistance Agreements:      Through Automatic Assistance Agreements Fire and/or EMS are dispatched automatically to or from 13 cities that border the City of Dallas. When there is an emergency outside or inside the City of Dallas, Dispatch (CAD) sends the closest unit to respond to the emergency. This allows for a faster response time for Dallas and participating cities.

NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) 1500:    NFPA 1500 is related to health and safety regulations. Dallas Fire-Rescue reviews these regulations to determine compliance and Department future needs in this area.