Fire Department ISO Rating

In 2011, Gulfport Fire & Rescue was awarded an ISO rating of 3. ISO (Insurance Services Office, Inc.) is the leading supplier of statistical, actuarial, and underwriting information for and about the property/casualty insurance industry. The ISO fire insurance ratings for a community are the foundation on which most insurers build their coverage programs. After looking at many factors, ISO assigns 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. A low ISO fire rating equates to lower insurance premiums citywide. For a one station department, Gulfport’s classification as a 3 is impressive as less than 5% of departments nationwide have classifications on 3 or less.

Essential elements a fire department must have to receive a Class 3 rating:

• Must have pumper capacity to suppress a fire in any building in the community
• Must have a 24 hour central dispatch for contacting firefighters
• Must have fully equipped reserve apparatus
• Annual tests must be conducted on pumper trucks, hoses, and hydrants
• A minimum number of firefighters must be present at emergency scenes
• Firefighter training must greatly exceed minimum standards
• The department and community must have a definitive, reliable, and pressurized water supply
• Must perform annual fire code building inspections