IBCCES Certifies Surprise Fire-Medical Department as a Certified Autism Center™, Enhances Community Support

A firefighter sits on a chair in a gym, teaching a group of children gathered around him, with playhouses in the background.

A firefighter in full gear sits on the ground, engaging with a group of children who are attentively listening and curious.

A child in a fire truck seat, wearing a fire helmet, engages with firefighters, while others observe nearby in a sunny outdoor setting.

A firefighter reads a colorful children’s book to captivated young girls in a classroom setting, fostering a love for reading.

I’m confident this program will enhance our response capabilities and, most importantly, improve the care we provide to the families and community members we serve.”

— Fire Chief Brenden Espie of Surprise Fire-Medical

SURPRISE, AZ, UNITED STATES, July 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) awards the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) to the Surprise Fire-Medical Department. To earn this credential, department staff completed autism-specific training to be better prepared to assist autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals during emergency response situations.

“We are proud to have trained all of our first responders to better understand and support individuals with autism. I’m confident this program will enhance our response capabilities and, most importantly, improve the care we provide to the families and community members we serve,” says Fire Chief Brenden Espie of Surprise Fire-Medical.

“The partnership between IBCCES and Surprise Fire-Medical Department not only provides staff with comprehensive training on autism and sensory-sensitivities, but it enhances the support Surprise Fire-Medical is able to offer the community,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman. “We are proud to welcome Surprise Fire-Medical to the ever-growing network of Certified Autism Centers™.”

For more than two decades, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.

To further support inclusivity efforts, Surprise Fire-Medical Department will be featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as CertifiedAutismCenter.com and AutismTravel.com, free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.

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About Surprise Fire-Medical Department
The Surprise Fire-Medical Department is "Always There, Always Ready" to protect and preserve life and property within the city of Surprise, Arizona. The department consists of nine fire stations that serve more than 165,000 residents, responding to fire, rescue, emergency medical, hazardous materials, and other emergency service calls. Surprise Fire-Medical is committed to providing the highest quality care and the fastest response times possible to ensure the safety of our community.

For more information, please visit surpriseaz.gov/Fire or call 623.222.5000.

About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For over two decades, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 111 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.

In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare and workplace sectors.

IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and CertifiedAutismCenter.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.

Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
marketing@ibcces.org
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