ISO Ratings

[Blitzattak]

I am looking for information on improving our ISO rating. I have read all the Fire Rescue Mag articles and have done alot of research on ratings. I am looking for somebody who has recently been rated and how it went. What items were they looking for specifically. My departments rating is a
5/9 the 9 is for areas outside 1000' of a hydrant. We are looking to improve that because we know we have the equipment to do it. We just need a few pointers on how you other guys did it. Thanks for any tips
Blitzattak

[JPerkMCFD3]

Several years back, our department went from a 4, to a 3.

the rating is based upon several factors including:
1) water system size & distribution
2) percentage of your built up areas within 1.5 miles of an engine
3) equipment carried on and age of that engine
4) percentage of your district within 2.0 miles of a truck
5) equipment carried on that truck, and it's age
6) training frequentcy
7) manning levels
8) communications center and alerting capabilities

Those are the biggest areas. If you have a more specific question, please feel free to email me at perkinj1@mcfd.org.

I was a Battalion chief at the time of our last inspection when we were upgraded.

[K A]

Blitzattak

Ask away. Our department had the largest drop in ISO history in both hydranted and non-hydranted areas.

--age of that engine
4) percentage of your district within 2.0 miles of a truck
truck, and it's age---

None of the above matters to ISO.

[Blitzattak]

KA how long did you need to assemble your records before the rating took place? Did you have enough notice? We are not due for a rating until 2002 based on a 15 year rating period. We are under 20,000 residents. Did you do a demonstration for areas outside a hydrant area? How was it documented video, still photos written records. Please explain procedurtes you used.

------------------

[Station 45 Chief]

Send an email to gibbles@penn.com.
He is with the DuBois, Pa. Vol. Fire Co.
they just received a class 1 ISO rating.
Im sure they will give you any info you
might need. Their homepage address is <A HREF="http://users.penn.com/""gibbles/." TARGET=_blank>http://users.penn.com/""gibbles/.</A> Hope this
helps.

[K A]

===KA how long did you need to assemble your records before the rating took place? Did you have enough notice? We are not due for a rating until 2002 based on a 15 year rating period. We are under 20,000 residents. Did you do a demonstration for areas outside a hydrant area? How was it documented video, still photos written records. Please explain procedurtes you used. ==

We did it all in 5 weeks on 5 weeks notice, we really were not ready, we were very lucky we droped 7 classes.

I think several people have posted it but just go to:
http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Trails/5754/iso.html

I was going to point out the Dubois has 475 firefighter in a very small town, so what they did to get a 1 is very different than what anyone else whould have to do.

[Firechief-47]

We went from a 7 rating to 6 rating last year. We are vol. dept. covering 86 sq. miles and two cities. pop. 1050 and 154. This was also my first time for this and I didn't know what to expect. I did nothing to get ready for it. Not very smart! This is also my first year as firechief. We added 6 more firefighters and the city improved it's water system since the last time we were checked. Keeping good records of your training is a must. They also checked to see if every firefighter had a flashlight in their gear. They did, but something you might not think would make a difference. They also check on the number of fires you have and how much damage. I was told by an insurance agent that everyone who lives within 5 miles from the station gets the 6 rating on their policey. Don't know if thats right. They also check on equipment, number of pumpers, tankers, SCBAs, size of pumps,generators, smoke ejectors, ladders. This guy went through everything. He made the new chief very nervous. Good Luck

[K A]

..They also checked to see if every firefighter had a flashlight in their gear...

That has nothing to do with ISO ratings

..They also check on the number of fires you have and how much damage. ..

ISO doesn't do tha for an ISO rating.

...I was told by an insurance agent that everyone who lives within 5 miles from the station gets the 6 rating on their policey. Don't know if thats right...

It's not. F5 miles and withiong 1000 feet of a hydrant. All others get a class 9

[Blitzattak]

I have some very good information on the requirements during an ISO rating such as required equipment on apparatus, and tanker shuttle demonstrations. If interested, please e-mail me. Blitzattak @aol.com

------------------

[EPFD-AL]

Contact Larry Stevens the author of "YOUR NEXT ISO RATING" LSTEV10469@AOL.COM and you can't go wrong.

[Blitzattak]

Larry Stevens guide is our "bible" for ISO info. I have it on "file" and will e-mail to anyone wanting it.

[Cap'n L]

Our ISO rateing just changed from a 9 to 7. Record keeping is very important,training records along with hose and pump testing. The equipmentand hose that each truck carries is also important.We also provided a list of all mitual aid departments equipment. They told us that our preplans book was the best they've seen in a long time.We had to run a water shuttle for them, the requirment was 250gal/min for 1hr,we flowed close to 1000gal/min.(no hydrants in our township)It is correct that the rateing is good only for residents that live within 5 miles of the station,so the corners of our township are still rated as 9. Hope this helps and good luck.

[Mike C]

... Record keeping is very important,training records along with hose and pump testing. The equipmentand hose that each truck carries is also important.We also provided a list of all mitual aid departments equipment....

If all you got was a 7 then all the above was pretty much irrelavent. A 7 is only 20 points. The shuttle was worth 17 points. Your preplans were worth 1.3 points. So all the rest of the stuff was worth only 1.7 points. Sounds like you left 80 points on the table. A class 9 is a brush breaker and 4 firefighters who train 12 hours a year.