The Downey Fire Department had not had a comprehensive evaluation of its services since the formation of the department in 1957. The purpose of the research was to determine if the fire department assessment developed by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) would provide an adequate evaluation of the entire Downey Fire Department and if there were any other associated benefits that may come from use of the accreditation model. The methodology included a literature review of relative published writings, standards, and executive fire-officer applied research projects. A survey of the 33 agencies most involved with the accreditation process was performed to learn of their experiences. Interviews with subject-matter experts were done to clarify the literature and to add breadth to the research.The CFAI self-assessment model was applied to the Downey Fire Department by the author to determine the thoroughness and quality of the model and provide insight into the magnitude of the effort required for accreditation. Evaluative research techniques were used to determine if the CFAI assessment process would be effective in evaluating the Downey Fire Department and produce any benefits. The research questions were: 1. Will the accreditation model provide a complete review of all fire department activities? 2. What identified steps must be completed before a fire department is accredited by CFAI? 3. Is it possible for specific problems to be identified utilizing the self-assessment process? 4. What benefits, internal and external, have been experienced by those departments who have completed the CFAI accreditation process? 5.What is the total expected cost to become an accredited agency, including both staff time and monetary expenditures? The research revealed the CFAI assessment process was thorough and, if implemented, would prove to be valuable for the organization. Many benefits were identified for the staff, the organization, and the community. It was recommended that the Department take the necessary steps to begin the CFAI accreditation process.