City of Owatonna: ISO Classification Improvement

Good News!

The City of Owatonna ISO Insurance classification has changed from a 5 to 4.

The Rural Areas we serve have also improved from a 9 to a 8b.

This will be effective May 1^st.

ISO’s Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) is used to measure the firefighting capabilities of communities. ISO derives PPC grading’s from the FSRS. The FSRS measures fire-alarm and emergency communication systems, the fire department, and water supply. Criteria include receiving and dispatching alarms, fire company personnel training, maintenance and testing of equipment, condition of hydrants, and adequacy of water supply. In turn, the depth and scope of the FSRS analysis is an informative and valuable tool for insurers in their underwriting workflow.

The FSRS considers three main areas of a community’s fire-protection program:

Fire alarms
Ten percent of a community’s overall score is based on how well the fire department receives and dispatches fire alarms. Our field representatives evaluate:

• the communications center, including the number of operators at the center
• the telephone service, including the number of telephone lines coming into the center
• the listing of emergency numbers in the telephone book
• the dispatch circuits and how the center notifies firefighters about the location of the emergency

Fire department
Fifty percent of the overall score is based on the fire department. ISO reviews the distribution of fire companies throughout the area and checks that the fire department tests its pumps regularly and inventories each engine company's nozzles, hoses, breathing apparatus, and other equipment. ISO also reviews the fire-company records to determine things such as:

• type and extent of training provided to fire company personnel
• number of people who participate in training
• firefighter response to emergencies
• maintenance and testing of the fire department's equipment

Water supply
Forty percent of the overall score is based on the community’s water supply. This part of the survey focuses on whether the community has sufficient water supply for fire suppression beyond daily maximum consumption. ISO surveys all components of the water-supply system, including pumps, storage, and filtration. We observe fire-flow tests at representative locations in the community to determine the rate of flow the water mains provide. We also review the condition and maintenance of fire hydrants. Last, we count the distribution of fire hydrants no more than 1,000 feet from the representative locations.