Intelligent Floor Washers,Smart Floor Scrubber,Household Smart Floor Scrubber,Bionic Self Cleaning Floor Scrubber,Household floor scrubber Grey Whale Intelligent Appliances (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd , https://www.szgraywhale.com
Alton FD improves ISO rating
The Telegraph.com recently published an article highlighting how the Alton Fire Department is working to enhance its ISO rating, which could lead to lower insurance premiums for residents and businesses in the area.
Alton’s fire chief, Bernie Sebold, announced that the city’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating has improved from a Class 4 to a Class 3, effective October 1st. This change is expected to have a positive impact on property insurance costs.
“The ISO rating plays a key role in how insurance companies assess risk and set premiums for homes and businesses,†Sebold explained. “To determine the PPC rating, ISO looks at several factors, including the fire department's response capabilities, water supply system, and overall operations.â€
Sebold encouraged residents and business owners to reach out to their insurance providers to inform them of the rating change, as it could result in reduced premiums. He noted that when the rating dropped from Class 3 to 4 in the past, some homeowners saw an increase of around $85 to $100 annually in their insurance costs.
ISO ratings range from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best. In Illinois, only 144 out of 2,408 fire departments have a Class 3 rating. Nationally, out of 47,242 fire departments, just 1,998 are rated Class 3, while 61 are Class 1 and 592 are Class 2.
Sebold outlined two major changes that helped improve the rating: increased officer training and multi-company drills, as well as a new agreement between the Alton and East Alton fire departments to respond to structure fires in each other’s areas. This helps ensure more firefighters are available during emergencies.
Manpower had been a significant issue, as Alton’s department had only 48 firefighters. By coordinating with East Alton, they can now respond more effectively to incidents.
The last ISO evaluation of Alton was in 2008, after a 12-year gap. That assessment led to the downgrade from Class 3 to 4 due to concerns over staffing and training. Since becoming fire chief in 2012, Sebold made improving the ISO rating one of his top priorities. After submitting a year’s worth of updated data, ISO agreed to re-evaluate the department in May 2013, leading to the recent improvement.
This update shows the department’s commitment to meeting high safety standards and potentially saving residents money on insurance. As the community continues to support these efforts, the future of Alton’s fire services looks promising.
Thanks Chris.