Pasadena Fire Department Awarded Prestigious Class 1 Status By the Insurance Services Office

Chief Bertral Washington has announced the Pasadena Fire Department has been awarded a Class 1 Public Protection Classification rating by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), an organization that independently evaluates municipal fire protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. The Class 1 rating is the highest possible score that can be given to any fire department nationwide. The City of Pasadena is one of only sixteen communities in California, and 132 nationally to have achieved this prestigious and significant ranking. Insurance companies use ISO information combined with other factors to establish local commercial business and residential property insurance rates – generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection.

“This reaffirms our commitment to excellence and verifies through another independent agency that our community receives the highest caliber of fire suppression services,” states Chief Washington.

The ISO Public Protection Classification program provides important, up-to-date information on the capabilities of public fire protection in nearly 50,000 fire protection areas across the United States.

The ISO ratings process involves a periodic, detailed analysis of all fire department equipment and operations, the city’s water system, and emergency 9-1-1 communications system. The program provides an objective nationwide standard that helps fire departments in planning and budgeting for facilities, equipment, and training. By offering economic benefits for communities that invest in their firefighting services, the program provides an incentive for improving and maintaining public fire protection.

For more information on ISO and the current rating system please visit: http://www.isomitigation.com

In August 2015 the Department joined an elite cadre of fire organizations receiving Accredited Agency status. Of 30,052 fire departments in the United States only 32 are ISO Class 1 and Accredited and in the state of California only three fire departments have both achievements.