City wants to better its fire-protection rating
The city is seeking to lower its Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating, which is an indication of how effective it is in offering fire-protection services. The city currently ranks as an ISO 5.
Every 19 seconds, a fire department somewhere in the United States responds to a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments fought almost 1.7 million fires in 2002, the latest year for which figures are available.
How effective communities are when it comes to fighting fires can be summed up as an ISO rating.
Since 1971, ISO has been a leading source of information about risk. The ISO supplies data, analysis, and decision support services for professionals.
ISO collects information on municipal fire protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities they analyze the relevant data using Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS).
Independent evaluation of departments occurs every 10 years or so. Inspectors look at different areas in fire protection. The grade they give is based on these areas:
‘ Based on how well the fire department receives fire alarms and dispatches its fire-fighting resources, the communities can receive 10 percent of its overall score. For this, there is an evaluation of the communications center including how many telephone lines they have, emergency numbers listed in the phone book, and how they notify the fire department regarding location of the emergency.
‘ The community is given up to 50 percent for the number of engines and the amount of water a community has to fight a fire. Also evaluated is the checking of pumps as well as inventories on nozzles, hoses, breathing apparatus and other equipment.
‘ The community’s water supply is given up to 40 percent. This part of the survey focuses on whether the community has sufficient water supply for fire suppression beyond daily maximum consumption, as well as looking at the distribution of fire hydrants, pumps, storage and filtration.
After the evaluation, departments are then assigned a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10 based on the findings. Class 1 represents exemplary public protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire-suppression program doesn’t meet ISO’s minimum criteria.
Many fire insurance companies use the ISO rating as one factor in setting the amount of premium that is paid on a particular property. The lower the rating, the better the insurance premiums and benefits.
Several weeks ago, McMinnville Fire Department underwent an ISO inspection. Results are expected in a few weeks.
‘We went through the inspection and now we have to wait for the results,’ said McMinnville Fire Chief Kevin Lawrence. ‘I think the results will be in around the second or third week of February. I’m hoping for a rating of 3 or even a 2.’
If there is a reduction in the rating, residents shouldn’t expect to see a large reduction in insurance premiums as this is only one area out of many used to determine premiums.