Stratford Gets Second-Best Fire Safety Rating

Press release from the Town of Stratford:

June 18, 2020

The Town of Stratford once again earned the second-best possible fire protection rating from the Insurance Services Office, a direct reflection of the Town’s leadership and taxpayers’ investment in fire mitigation. In general, the price of property insurance in a community with a good fire safety rating is substantially lower than in a community with a poor grade.

Stratford earned a Class 2 on a scale of 1 to 10, where Class 1 represents the best-rated fire suppression program, and Class 10 indicates a program that does not meet minimum criteria. ISO analyzes fire suppression data in municipalities throughout the country and assigns the classifications. Stratford’s Class 2 repeats the rating it earned during the previous review.

Stratford Mayor Laura R. Hoydick said, “Stratford residents and property owners should be very pleased and proud of the continued excellent fire protection rating, as I am. It is a testament to Chief Lampart, Capt. Jermaine Atkinson and the entire Fire Department’s abilities and professionalism. We appreciate their tireless efforts to keep our fire suppression and public safety programs among the best in the country.”

Stratford Fire Chief Brian Lampart commented after receiving the good news: “The better prepared a fire department is with staffing, equipment and training, the less likely property will burn down, making the property less risky and, therefore, less expensive to insure. By maintaining our excellent ISO rating we allow the residents and business owners to perhaps negotiate a lower rate on their property insurance. The Town has invested significantly to provide the best for the community, and the Stratford Fire Department will certainly continue to maintain the best fire protection possible for the citizens who we are sworn to protect.”

Property owners are encouraged to contact their insurance company to make sure it is using the current Public Protection Classification 2 rating when it sets policy prices for Stratford properties.

A community's PPC grade depends on:

· Fire Department, including equipment, staffing, training, geographic distribution of fire companies, operational considerations, and community risk reduction.

· Water Supply, including inspection and flow testing of hydrants, alternative water supply operations, and a careful evaluation of the amount of available water compared with the estimated amount needed.

· Emergency Communications, including emergency reporting, telecommunicators, and dispatching systems.

· Needed Fire Flows, which are building locations used to determine the theoretical amount of water necessary for fire suppression purposes.

This press release was produced by the Town of Stratford. The views expressed here are the author's own.