Alpharetta Fire Department Earns Highest ISO Rating

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Alpharetta Fire Services has become one of only 102 agencies out of 48,000 fire departments to receive an ISO, or Insurance Service Office, rating of 1.

ISO is the national gold standard used by fire departments across the nation as the governing body that determines what category fire departments should be rated in regards to insurance risks.

The highest rating an agency can achieve is 1, with 10 serving as the least desirable classification. Most insurance companies throughout the nation use the ISO rating model to access a government’s public protection classification.

“Alpharetta’s designation of ISO 1 is reflective of our number one priority as a city - to keep our citizens safe,” said Mayor David Belle Isle. “The protection we offer is second to none, with our ISO 1 rating leaving no room for debate. We have great people serving great people.”

ISO evaluators evaluate dozens of categories and standards by giving a point value for each level of compliance.

Additionally the ISO organization evaluates fire departments on items such as how many training hours are conducted annually, the numbers of fire stations, the number of fire hydrants, geographical distance impacts between residents and fire stations and the types of emergency equipment.

Dozens of more standards are evaluated to determine compliance. Alpharetta Fire Services obtained 101.2 points out of a possible 105.

“I am really proud of our personnel,” said Alpharetta Public Safety Director Gary George. “By their dedication and commitment to the Alpharetta community, they have been recognized among the best in our nation. I also thank the Insurance Service Office for their efforts during our evaluation process. This prestigious designation is indeed a rare accomplishment within the fire services occupation.”

The ISO classifies communities based on how well they score on the ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, which grades and rates such features as water availability and distribution, the fire departments equipment, the number of staff and their level of certifications and the fire alarm facilities.

ISO field representatives use the schedule when surveying a community’s fire protection capability. The score that is determined from applying the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule is translated into a public protection classification.

Why is this rating important?

First it shows an agency’s commitment to emergency response and public safety.

As a secondary benefit, it serves to lower the cost of insurance services for residents and businesses since it’s the countrywide classification system used by the ISO to reflect a community’s local fire protection for property insurance rating purposes. The higher the rating, the lower the costs are for business and residential insurance coverages in relation to those areas with a lower rating.

Photo credit: Alpharetta Department of Public Safety’s Facebook page