Excerpts from westchicago.org:
The West Chicago Fire Protection District is excited to announce that it has been awarded an ISO Class 2 rating. This improvement could lead to lower homeowners' insurance costs starting July 1st. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) evaluates fire protection services every five years, and its ratings are widely used by insurance companies to determine property insurance rates across the country.
ISO ratings range from 1 to 10, with 1 being the highest and most favorable rating. In 2011, the district had a Class 3 rating. Now, after a thorough evaluation, West Chicago has moved up significantly, earning one of the top ratings in the nation.
Only 1,393 fire departments out of more than 44,000 nationwide have achieved an ISO Class 2 rating, placing West Chicago in the top 3.1% of all fire districts. The ISO assesses various factors such as emergency response times, water supply systems, fire apparatus, training programs, community risk reduction efforts, and fire prevention initiatives. These elements play a key role in determining how effectively a community can respond to and manage fires.
The Public Protection Classification (PPC) program helps communities improve their fire readiness, and studies show a strong correlation between high PPC scores and reduced fire-related losses. Insurance companies use these classifications when underwriting policies and setting premiums for fire coverage.
The West Chicago Fire Protection District is a full-time career department with 41 staff members and 12 contract firefighter/paramedics. The total workforce includes 57 individuals, covering support roles, firefighting, and fire prevention activities.
Currently, the district is working on several improvements aimed at achieving an ISO Class 1 rating in the next evaluation cycle. Recent upgrades include the construction of a new training facility and a multi-story burn tower, enhanced training documentation to track time spent on each subject, and the development of pre-fire plans for all local businesses. Additional changes are planned over the next five years to further strengthen the district’s performance and public safety outcomes.
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