Asbury VFD to receive ISO rate reduction

• Date: March 26, 2010
• Source: Admin

ISO has reduced the rate of Asbury Volunteer Fire Department to Class 5, which will result into lower insurance premiums for the residents of the coverage area.

About ISO

ISO is a member of the Verisk Analytics Family of Companies. Since 1971, ISO has been serving as an independent organization for insurance companies, fire departments, insurance regulators and providing them with information about risk. ISO’s Public Protection Classification has been used by insurance companies in marketing, underwriting, and pricing homeowner and commercial property insurance.

ISO Rating System

In the U.S., more than 46,000 fire districts have been classified by ISO. ISO assigns a Public Protection Classification rating from 1 to 10. While Class 1 generally represents exemplary fire protection, and Class 10 indicates the area’s fire-suppression program has failed to meet ISO’s minimum criteria.

Through ISO’s rating, amount of premium that the insured has to pay to the insurance company for coverage gets decided. According to ISO rating system, low ISO rating signifies low rate of premiums and higher rating equals to higher rate of premium.

How Asbury Volunteer Fire Department Received ISO Rate Reduction

Since 2005, Asbury VFD has maintained a Class 6 rating. From May 1, that rating will be lowered to 5, as decided by the ISO.

Modern equipments like tanker-dump tanks, brush trucks and a first-responder truck equipped with a Hurst rescue tool, heart defibrillator and other medical supplies along with six pumpers, including its original 1962 Ford pumper and a new 2005 Sterling pumper-tanker purchased with a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, Asbury VFD has it all that needs to get a low ISO rating.

According to Asbury Fire Chief Albert Childress and Treasurer Ken Burns “This rating was accomplished by rigorous evaluation of all trucks and equipment owned by the department as well as available equipment and manpower provided by nearby departments.”

To withstand the scrutiny of an ISO evaluation, the department practiced hours to perfect the necessary procedures. Childress and Burns said the water supply of Asbury Water Systems and location of hydrants also factored into the rate reduction.

Burns said “The major test required a drop tank setup and fill, followed by a hookup to the pumper, and pumping at the prescribed pressure in less than five minutes…Practice didn’t stop until it could be done in less than half the time. When all practice and procedures were finalized, Chief Albert Childress called for the test and it was successful. With a smile he said, ‘Great. Maybe next time we can lower it to a 4.’”

Source:

http://sandmountainreporter.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5ddf125acc91d6da

http://www.iso.com/