Fire department ISO public protection classifications.

              INTERIM STUDY REPORT
Insurance Committee
Rep. Charles Key, Chairperson
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Interim Study 11-046, Rep. Charles Key and Joe Dorman
October 13, 2011
John Doak, Commissioner
Oklahoma Insurance Department
• Oklahomans need to understand there is a direct link between ISO’s rating and homeowner
insurance premiums.
• Average class rating of Oklahoma communities is a 7. (with 1 being the best and 10 being the
worst).
• Over 1200 rural fire departments in Oklahoma.
• 98% percent of insurance carriers use ISO ratings to help calculate insurance rates.
• According to an actuarial analysis, there is an approximately 10% drop in insurance rates per
ISO rating number drop.
• Average age Oklahoma firefighter is rising. Oklahoma needs a plan to address this.
• Need a system where the citizen consumer can enter in their address and determine which
firefighter will respond to a potential fire.
• Need to determine fixed equipment cost.
• Also need to address radio issues so that departments can effectively communicate with each
other.
David Richardson, Administration Major
Midwest City Fire Department
drichardson@midwestcityok.org
• Previously employed with ISO (Insurance Services Offices).
• Provided history of ISO creation as a private company.
• Fire Rating Schedule is a list of formulas and standards that provides a means of measuring
how a community can defend or protect that community against structural fires. It is not a
communications issue; it’s not a fire department issue, it’s not a water department issue, it is a
community issue.
• Three components to classification: fire department (50%), water department (40%), and
communication (10%). In order to lower an ISO grade a community needs planning from the
city managers, the fire chief, and the 911 center.
• Oklahoma has the largest ratio of class 10 communities than any other state. Some departments
are not unrecognized by ISO, which defaults the community to a class 10.
• How do you improve an ISO grade?
o Staffing- takes a minimum of four people to respond to a structural fire.
o Brush Pumper which can hold 250 gallon water. Anyone within 5 road miles of this can
get a class 9 rating.