January 27, 2004 -  At their December 15, 2003, meeting, the CAAS Panel of Commissioners granted accreditation to three agencies. Rural Metro Medical Services of Rochester, New York, LifeNet, Inc. of Texarkana, Texas, and Rural/Metro Medical Services of Central New York, Syracuse, all were granted a three-year reaccreditation.

There are currently 88 CAAS-accredited agencies in 28 states across the country with over 120 agencies now working on new applications in the U.S. and Canada. Interest continues to grow significantly in the accreditation process as more and more states, regions, municipalities, and agencies recognize the value of this quality process.

Agencies wishing to learn more about the benefits of CAAS accreditation may register on-line at www.caas.org for the next CAAS Accreditation Seminar, scheduled for April 28th, 2004, in Las Vegas. This seminar is being held at the Orleans Hotel in conjunction with the 2004 Fire Rescue Med. Fire Chief Wilfred Chapleau, Chicago Heights, Illinois, will lead attendees through the steps of planning, budgeting, motivating staff, and developing policies and documentation for accreditation as well as preparing for the on-site review. Agencies can also order standards from the CAAS web site or request a free copy of "What Is the Value of Ambulance Accreditation?" from staff headquarters by writing to CAAS, 1926 Waukegan Road, Suite 1, Glenview, IL 60025.