Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Brianna Bonilla | NAVAL AIR FACILITY (NAF) ATSUGI, Japan (April 13, 2026) - Commander, Navy Region Japan...... read more read more
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NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI, Japan (Aug. 31, 2026) –Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi firefighters assigned to Commander, Navy Region Japan (CNRJ) Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) returned from Chicago last week after earning accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), a commission of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), making NAF Atsugi Fire Department the first installation fire department in CNRJ to achieve the distinction.
Four NAF Atsugi firefighters appeared before the CPSE accreditation board in Chicago Aug. 18 to present the department's case to 13 board members, who voted unanimously to grant accreditation.
Matthew Knott, a CPSE peer assessor who conducted an on-site assessment of NAF Atsugi Fire Department in May, provided testimony to the board.
“Our assessment showed that NAF Atsugi excels not only in responding to emergencies but also in community engagement and risk reduction,” Knott said. “I am confident that accrediting the NAF Atsugi department will not only recognize their outstanding achievements but also serve as help on their path towards continuous improvement.”
CPSE accreditation is a voluntary process that evaluates a fire department's policies, practices and performance while identifying areas for continued improvement. NAF Atsugi Fire Department spent three years working toward accreditation.
“Finally, we can relax after three years of hard work,” said Arnel Dorn, NAF Atsugi's fire chief. “We have 16 recommendations to improve on, and we will spend the next few years working on those recommendations before the reaccreditation board.”
Peter Sorensen, CNRJ region fire chief, said Atsugi's accreditation demonstrates what the department accomplished despite the challenges encountered throughout the process.
“I am incredibly proud of the success that our Atsugi team achieved by becoming the first CNRJ F&ES organization to be accredited by CFAI,” Sorensen said. “It took a long time, with many challenges along the way to overcome, however the perseverance and professionalism of our team won the day.”
While accreditation marks the culmination of three years of work, Dorn said the department's focus now shifts to addressing the recommendations identified during the assessment and preparing for reaccreditation. The process provides NAF Atsugi Fire Department a framework to continue evaluating its performance, improving its services and strengthening emergency response capabilities for the installation and surrounding community.
NAF Atsugi supports the combat readiness of Commander, Fleet Air Western Pacific, Commander, Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW) 5, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51 and 23 other tenant commands, and provides logistic support, coordination, and services to units assigned to the Western Pacific.
| Date Taken: | 08.30.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2026 00:58 |
| Story ID: | 573630 |
| Location: | JP |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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