Flint, Michigan – Flint brought back its municipal ambulance service in 2024 after more than two decades without one. Now, that service has earned national accreditation that only about 25 to 30 fire departments across the country currently hold, according to the city.
The recognition gives the Flint Fire Department a new milestone in its effort to rebuild local emergency medical services, placing patient care, safety and daily operations under nationally recognized standards.
The city announced that the department has secured accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, or CAAS. Flint described the distinction as the “Gold Standard” for emergency medical services and the highest level of accreditation offered by the commission.
The review covers more than the care delivered during an emergency call. CAAS standards also address operational performance, safety and accountability, making the accreditation a broader measure of how an ambulance service functions.
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For Flint, the achievement follows the restoration of a service that had been absent from municipal operations for more than 20 years. Bringing city-run ambulances back in 2024 marked one step; earning national accreditation represents another in the development of that service.
City officials said the distinction reflects work to strengthen operations, maintain rigorous standards and consistently provide quality care. It also establishes a framework for continuing those efforts as the department serves residents who need emergency medical assistance.
Mayor Sheldon Neeley, Fire Chief Theron Wiggins and Jim Cooper of L&C EMS Consulting, LLC are expected to discuss the achievement at a press conference. Their remarks will address the work required to earn accreditation, its significance and what it means for emergency medical services in Flint.
The city tied the announcement to its broader commitment to professional, reliable emergency response. Residents often encounter ambulance personnel during some of the most critical moments of their lives, making the standards behind that response especially important.
With accreditation secured, maintaining those standards and continuing to improve patient care remain central to the service’s work.