Nashville Fire Rescue’s Class 1 ISO Rating takes effect October 1

The City of Nashville Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) recently received a top rating of Class 1/1X from the Insurance Service Office (ISO), improving from Class 2/2X rating in 2016. The new rating could lead to lower insurance premiums for some homeowners and businesses, and the city encourages citizens to check with their insurance agents for potential savings.

The ISO develops a Public Protection Classification (PPC) number on a scale from 1 to 10, with Class 1 being the very best fire protection and Class 10 being the worse.

“The top rating is a testament of our priority as a department and City to make sure the best fire protection is available for all residents,” said MFRD Chief Mark Foulks.

“We are ecstatic that our high-level fire services could translate into savings for our residents and businesses.”

MFRD is one of only seven fire departments in the State of Tennessee and three hundred eighty-eight (388) fire departments in the United States to earn the top rating. The ISO evaluates more than 50,000 fire departments across the country.

“This is a result of the dedication and hard work of our fire chief and the employees of the Fire-Rescue Department,” said Mayor Shane McFarland. “As our City continues to grow, we are dedicated to making sure our residents, visitors, and business owners receive the best fire and emergency services possible.”

Through the city’s community investment programs, MFRD recently opened Station 11 in the Blackman community and has plans to build stations that will serve the Buchanan/Joe B Jackson Parkway area, the Veterans Parkway/840 area, and the Cherry Lane/Leanna area in the future.

“The City’s Mayor, Council, and administration are committed to providing excellent public safety services to our community,” Foulks said. “The professionalism, commitment, and compassion of our MFRD personnel are unparalleled; we are one of the top fire-rescue departments in the nation because of them.”

The city received notification of the new rating in late June with an effective date of October 1, 2020.

ISO evaluates fire departments using its Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). The FSRS evaluates categories of fire suppression, emergency communications, water supply, and community risk reduction.

“We could not have achieved this rating without the incredible support from the Nashville Water Resources Department and the Consolidated Utility District, forty-percent of our grading relates to water supply, and the water system in our community is outstanding,” said Foulks. “Additionally, the Nashville Emergency Communications Center does an excellent job of answering, processing, and dispatching calls for service in our community.”

MFRD was assigned a split rating of Class 1/1X.

The first number represents the classification of properties within five miles of a fire station and within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant or creditable water source. The second number (1X) applies to properties within five miles of a fire station but beyond 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant or creditable water source.

For an explanation of the ISO ratings, please click the following link: https://www.isomitigation.com/siteassets/images/articles/ppc-announcement-brochure.pdf