(November 16, 2007) The Sedona Fire District recently received a Class-3 Insurance Services Office rating for fire protection, placing SFD in the top 5% of fire departments throughout the United States.  If you reside or own a business in the Sedona Fire District, please advise your insurance carrier of the significant rating improvement.  It may result in insurance premium savings to residents and business owners throughout the district.

Our previous rating was a “5/8” and our new overall rating is a “3/4”.  The City of Sedona will be rated at a “3,” an improvement from a “5,” while the rest of the unincorporated areas of SFD will receive a new rating of a “4,” an improvement from a “5” or “8”.  If, however, a residence is greater than five miles from their closest fire station, the rating will be a “10”.  This is why we need to continue to consider the relocation of our Oak Creek Canyon fire station and consider a future station in the Red Rock Loop area, as/if/when it becomes fully developed. Our new rating takes effect on March 1, 2008. 

The ISO ratings are given to fire departments throughout the country for the effectiveness of their fire protection services and equipment to protect the community.  ISO rates fire departments on a scale from 1 to 10, with one (1) being exceptional and ten (10) being poor.  Over 46,000 fire departments across the nation have been analyzed and assigned a classification by ISO.  ISO makes its rating determination by analyzing a fire department’s suppression capabilities, looking specifically at how well a department receives and dispatches fire calls (9-1-1 system), the community’s water supply, a department’s training, the number of engine companies, distribution of fire companies/personnel, and the amount of water a community needs to fight a given fire.  The improvement in the district’s rating is due to a combination of things, including: increased personnel, enhanced technology, improved water systems, updating of equipment and training procedures, and refinements to documentation procedures.

The ISO completed a Public Protection Classification survey during the first quarter of 2007 for the Sedona Fire District that resulted in the overall fire safety rating for SFD being upgraded to a Class 3/4 from the previous Class 5/8.  Less than five percent of communities in the United States rated by ISO have achieved a Class 3 or better rating. ISO is the leading supplier of statistical, underwriting, and actuarial information for the insurance industry. ISO ratings are used by insurers to calculate premiums on residential, commercial, and industrial property within a community.

ISO evaluates communities based upon a set of criteria defined in their Fire Suppression Rating Schedule. Three major features are evaluated: fire alarm and communication systems – 10%, Fire Department infrastructure – 50%, and water supply systems – 40%. ISO is an external organization that is in the business of reviewing fire departments across the country. For this company to score the Sedona Fire District as one of the top 5% of the best fire departments in the nation is a true honor.  This ISO rating improvement illustrates SFD’s ability to set and attain definable, multi-departmental goals that benefit our citizens and businesses.

The improved rating for SFD represents a district-wide effort that began several years ago.  This progressive achievement for enhanced public safety is the result of cooperation between elected officials, City of Sedona, taxpayers, partnering agencies (public and private), and district staff.  In 2004, SFD established ISO improvement as a key strategic goal and have made many recommendations to the SFD Governing Board, both past and present.  Elected officials have consistently supported the allocation of resources to reach this goal and their support has been critical to its success.  A sincere thank you to the entire organization for your hard work and support while we worked to achieve this impressive rating!

Sedona Fire District’s new ISO rating:  3, 4

ISO STATUS OF U.S. FIRE DEPARTMENTS

Arizona’s ISO Classification Breakdown