Cleveland Fire Chief Ricky Pruitt was recently notified by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) that the Cleveland Fire Department will receive an improved Public Protection Classification (PPC) of 03/3X. Cleveland was previously rated Class 4/4.
“The new rating puts our City as one of only 3,583 departments in the country with a Class 3 rating. We have a dedicated group of firefighters that work hard each and every day for our community and our service area,” said Chief Pruitt. “The ISO 3/3x class rating is a reflection of that commitment.”
According to an email from City Administrator Kevin Harris, ISO creates ratings for fire departments and their surrounding communities. An ISO fire rating also referred to as a fire score or PPC, is a score ranges from 1 to 10 and indicates how well-protected the community is by the fire department. In the ISO rating scale, a lower number is better: one is the best possible rating, while a 10 means the fire department did not meet ISO’s minimum requirements.
Mayor Josh Tuner stated, “The newest rating places our City in the top 15% of communities out of almost 40,000 communities nationwide. In short, these ratings improvements validate that our local firefighters are doing a great job and homeowners are getting a solid return on their investment. This is a wonderful accomplishment that directly reflects the strong work from the entire city staff and the current vision that has been cast by the current Council.”
This rating also plays a significant role in the underwriting process at insurance companies, with most U.S. insurers of homes and business properties using the rating to calculate premiums. The price of fire insurance in a community with a lower ISO rating is generally lower than in a community with a poor rating.
The new classification is based on a rigorous review of community factors and not just the fire department itself. The review includes the internal department equipment, staffing, training, and proximity of the firehouse. It also includes emergency communications systems (911), water supply and building code enforcement.
The new rating will become effective on August 1, 2023.
