MAGNOLIA SPRINGS - The Magnolia Springs Volunteer Fire Department has maintained a Class 3 Public Protection Classification after a recent evaluation by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), an …
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MAGNOLIA SPRINGS - The Magnolia Springs Volunteer Fire Department has maintained a Class 3 Public Protection Classification after a recent evaluation by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), an independent company that serves insurance companies, communities, fire departments, insurance regulators and other organizations by providing information about risk. ISO's Public Classification Program (PPC) plays an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies. In fact, most U.S. insurers, including the largest ones, use PPC information as part of their decision-making when deciding what business to write, coverages to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial insurance.
A community’s PPC grade is based on evaluation of department communications, training, manpower, apparatus response/distribution, equipment, and inspections. The grade depends not only upon its fire department, but also its county emergency communications and water supply for the area. Classes are ranked from 1-10, and the lower the class rating, the greater the potential of lowering insurance premiums for citizens and homeowners.
Of the 41,177 U.S. communities that participate in the ISO Public Protection Program, there are only 3,490 that have the Class 3 rating, and in Alabama only 88 have it according to www.isomitigation.com.
The 37-member department covers 30 square miles of jurisdiction and originally received the Class 3 grade in 2010 when the department improved its rating from a Class 6.
The members put in a lot of time at the department training, they help with monthly apparatus checks, annual equipment checks/testing, record keeping, fire hydrant inspection, pre-fire plans on commercial occupancies, installation of smoke detectors, CPR classes response to emergencies and so much more. The volunteers work very hard to maintain the Class 3 rating and it could not be done without them.