Division Chief Blake Hodge of the Gordon County Fire Department has successfully completed the process that awards him the professional designation of “Chief Fire Officer” (CFO). The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) met on July 8, 2014, to officially confer the designation upon Chief Hodge. Chief Hodge is one of only 961 CFO’s worldwide.
The CPC awards the CFO designation only after an individual successfully meets all the organization’s stringent criteria. The process includes an assessment of the applicant’s education, experience, professional development, technical competencies, contributions to the profession, and community involvement. In addition, all applicants are required to identify their future professional development plan.
Gordon County Fire Chief Dave Hawkins stated, “Chief Hodge has a rich knowledge of the emergency services profession and has far surpassed critical core competencies for personnel serving in senior fire officer positions.”
This designation offered by the Commission on Professional Credentialing is an internationally-recognized third-party verification of professional competence in fire and emergency services and is considered by many, the highest level of achievement possible for a fire chief. The process is governed by an eleven-member Commission on Professional Credentialing, consisting of individuals from the emergency services profession, federal and local government, and academia.
