The Huntingtown Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad (VFD) is pleased to announce to the community of Huntingtown, MD, that its Public Protection Classification level has been lowered from a “9 out of 10” to a “7 out of 10”.
This reclassification is the result of five (5) years of work between the members of Huntingtown VFD and the Insurance Services Office (ISO) of Marlton, NJ. Citizens and businesses should expect to see a 15%-30% drop ($200-$350) in their annual homeowner’s or business insurance costs because of this re-classification.
To help establish appropriate fire insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties, insurance companies need reliable, up-to-date information about a community’s fire-protection services. ISO provides that information through the Public Protection Classification (PPCTM) program. ISO collects information on municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes the relevant data using a Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). They then assign a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire-suppression program doesn’t meet ISO’s minimum criteria.
The Huntingtown community was previously rated a “9”, which is defined as a fire suppression system that includes a credible dispatch center, fire department but no Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). During the past five years, the members of the Huntingtown VFD endeavored to lower this rating so that cost savings could be realized by all. Efforts undertaking included:
· Study of the fire alarm and communication systems, including telephone systems, telephone lines, staffing, and dispatching systems.
· Study of the fire department, including equipment, staffing, training, and geographic distribution of outlying companies.
· Study of the 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.
The results of these assessments were communicated to ISO who reviewed them against previously established criteria. In the end, ISO concurred that the loss and risk mitigation activities taken by the Huntingtown VFD warranted a reduction in its ISO rating.
Homeowners and business are encouraged to contact their insurer to evaluate the impact of this reclassification on their existing insurance policies.