ISO Class 1 designation places Skokie in top 1 percent of fire departments nationwide
The Skokie Fire Department is proud to announce that it has achieved the highest possible rating for fire protection services from Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), an insurance industry advisory company.
The department’s Class 1 designation, as awarded through ISO’s comprehensive eleven-month evaluation process, places the Skokie Fire Department in the top 1 percent of all fire departments nationwide when it comes to providing fire protection services for residents and property owners.
ISO has evaluated more than 40,000 fire departments across the nation, with fewer than 500 departments, including only 29 in Illinois, achieving a Class 1 designation. The Skokie Fire Department has maintained its prestigious Class 1 rating since 1995.
A Village-wide Effort
Achieving ISO’s prestigious Class 1 rating requires the efforts and expertise of staff across multiple Village departments, including Fire, Police, Public Works, Health and Human Services, Community Development, IT and others. The program’s comprehensive evaluation covers four major areas:
- Emergency communications systems, including 911 dispatch facilities and telecommunicator training
- Fire department, including equipment, staffing, training and geographic station coverage
- Water supply system, including hydrant testing and water flow evaluation
- Community risk reduction, including fire prevention codes and enforcement, public education and fire investigation
“This exemplary rating is the result of the Village of Skokie and the Village Board of Trustees’ longstanding commitment to providing first class municipal services to the entire Skokie community,” said Skokie Fire Chief Jeffrey Hoeflich. “Maintaining our prestigious Class 1 rating for nearly three decades is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of the Skokie Fire Department and our entire Village staff team, who work together each and every day to provide excellent public safety and fire protection services.”
ISO’s Public Protection Classification (PPC) review is conducted by expert ISO staff and includes site visits, records examination and observation. Using its Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, ISO analyzes the data and then assigns a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area's fire-suppression program doesn't meet ISO's minimum criteria.
Community and Department Benefits
By classifying communities’ ability to suppress fires, ISO helps communities evaluate their public fire-protection services. The PPC program provides an objective, nationwide standard that helps fire departments in planning and budgeting for facilities, equipment and training. And by securing lower fire insurance premiums for communities with better public protection, the PPC program provides incentives and rewards for communities that choose to improve their firefighting services. In general, the price of insurance in a community with a good PPC is lower than in a community with a poor PPC, assuming all other factors are equal.
For more information, visit the ISO mitigation website at isomitigation.com.