West Pulaski Fire Department has spent the past several years working to improve the current fire protection classification assigned by the Insurance Services Office. This fire protection ‘rating’ can affect the insurance rates for property owners that buy insurance from companies that utilize the ISO classification. Strong improvements we have made to our response vehicles, equipment, search training, and best utilization of water resources in our area have definitely helped us IMPROVE the overall fire protection classification of our fire district. Fire pumpers, tools and improved water tankers have really helped ensure we have needed equipment to manage fire suppression. We are also pleased to have gained ISO points during the recent evaluation to help improve our fire protection rating. Recently expanded water districts have also improved available water supply for firefighting by bringing fire hydrants to areas that were almost entirely dependent on water from tanker vehicles. This new rating came very close to the next lower score, which we will continue to strive to obtain. WPFD is always working to improve our capabilities and gain credit for the water upgrades made to our service area. Even though we have made great strides to improve our capabilities, the Insurance Services Office that does the fire classification ratings for the insurance industry, has also made their standards for fire suppression capabilities more difficult. The means the ISO evaluation reinforced the importance placed on a property location and its proximity to its nearest fire station AND to an adequate water source, whether it is a pressurized hydrant or a dry hydrant that can siphon from a nearby pond. Because of the increased ISO standards, some residents will notice your rating will change from a Class 9 to a Class 10 if you are further than 5 road miles from a fire station, regardless of a close water supply. WPFD will now be associated with a Fire Protection Class 5/6. This split rating is dependent on the location of your property and criteria that applies based on Insurance Service Office requirements.
- Class 5 – For property owners that live within 5 road miles of a WPFD fire station AND are located within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant (pressurized or non-pressurized/dry hydrant)
- Class 6 – For property owners that live within 5 road miles of a WPFD fire station AND are located greater than 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant (pressurized or non-pressurized/dry hydrant)
- Class 10– For property owners that live greater than 5 road miles of a WPFD fire station the ISO assigns a fire protection class of 10.
WPFD encourages you to contact your insurance provider or the Insurance Services Office about how this rating change affects you. To learn more about the ISO PPC program, visit their website at http://www.iso.com/faq/ISO-FAQ/The-Public-Protection-Classification-PPC-Program.html