The City of Staunton fire insurance classification will improve from a Class 5 to a Class 2 this spring, an extraordinarily rare advancement for a municipal fire department.
The rating reflects the effectiveness of a fire department’s fire suppression program—its ability to receive and respond to fire alarms; sufficiently staff, equip and train its department; maintain a water supply system; and educate the community about fire risks.
Staunton’s rating, or Public Protection Classification (PPC), is based on a numeric scale ranging from 1 to 10, and is determined by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). A fire department receiving a Class 1 rating represents an exemplary fire suppression program, and a Class 10 rating indicates that a department’s fire suppression program does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria.
Out of 776 rated Virginia fire departments, only eight are categorized as Class 2 agencies. Staunton’s fire department now ranks in the top 1.3% of rated Virginia agencies, and in the top 1.7% of rated agencies in the U.S (750 Class 2 rated U.S. agencies).
Rarely does a fire department’s PPC improve so significantly, said Staunton Fire Chief, Scott Garber.
“To advance three PPC levels is virtually unheard of,” Garber said. “This achievement is a testament of our team’s excellence, and their commitment to protecting and serving the Staunton community. We are very proud of this progressive accomplishment.”
The improved rating also is good news for Staunton residents and property owners. Here’s why:
1) PPC helps communities minimize fire losses. Statistical data on insurance losses bears out the relationship between excellent fire protection—as measured by the PPC program—and low fire losses.
2) The program provides help for fire departments and other public officials as they plan, budget for, and justify improvements, thereby strengthening the fire department’s ability to maintain good fire protection services.
3) Some insurance companies use PPC information to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance. This especially affects developers, who may be offered lower premiums on buildings in communities with better protection.
PPC Evaluation Criteria
The ISO evaluates the fire suppression program at participating fire departments across the nation on the basis of three primary criteria:
- Emergency Communications—receiving and handling fire alarms including telephone systems, telephone lines, staffing and dispatching systems.
- Fire Department—including equipment, staffing, training and geographic distribution of fire companies to minimize potential loss.
- Water Supply System—including condition and maintenance of hydrants, alternative water supply operations and a careful evaluation of the amount of available water compared with the amount needed to suppress fires up to 3,500 gallons per minute.
The PPC rating also reflects a municipal fire department’s community risk reduction efforts to reduce losses through fire prevention, public fire safety education, and fire investigation activities. For more information about the PPC program, visit www.isomitigation.com/ppc/0000/ppc0001.html.
Staunton’s Class 2 rating goes into effect June 1, 2015.
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