ISO Rating Reflects Improvements in Equipment, Training and Communications
Lebanon, Tenn. -- The City of Lebanon’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating has improved from a Class 3 to Class 2/2x according to a letter from the Insurance Services Office, a private company that measures a community’s fire suppression capabilities and assigns a numerical grade. The rating provides a benchmark to help fire departments and other public officials measure the effectiveness of their efforts and plan for improvements.
Scores range from 1 to 10, with the lower score being the best service rating. Only 36 fire departments in the State of Tennessee have achieved an ISO Class 2 rating, and only eight achieved the top rating of an ISO Class 1. This distinction places Lebanon’s fire services in the top five percent in the state. The new ISO rating went into effect January 1, 2022.
“Lebanon has one of the best fire departments in the state,” Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell said. “Residents and businesses alike benefit from this distinction in safety, but also property insurance rates could decrease with a lower ISO rating.”
An improved ISO rating can result in lowered premiu
ms for home, property, and commercial building insurance, as a home or business that is less likely to be severely damaged or destroyed by fire costs less to insure. Insurance rates can also vary based on the distance a structure is within a fire station and fire hydrant. The improved rating also serves to attract new development and businesses to our area.
Fire Chief Jason Baird says some of the factors attributed to the improved ISO rating include the following. The construction of the new fire station, Station 4 at Hwy 109, additional staffing, training, a new radio system including a new radio tower on the Wilson Central campus, the city’s water supply and the surrounding water supply districts were all factors that affected the score.
“This is a case where being number two is a tremendous win for our Lebanon Fire Department personnel who work so hard to keep our residents and visitors safe,” said Baird. “This rating shows there is still room for improvement that can translate into shorter response times to protect property and saves lives as well as being one of the best departments in the state.”
The Insurance Services Office was formed in 1971 as an advisory and rating organization for the property and casualty insurance industry. The organization collects statistical data and endorses rating information on behalf of insurance companies.