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Insurance Services Office (ISO)

Lockhart Fire Rescue received a split Class Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating of 3/3X effective on March 1, 2023. This puts Lockhart Fire Rescue in the top 25% of all Texas ISO rated fire departments.

Firefighters spraying water hose

Insurance Services Office (ISO) is an independent company that analyzes the structural fire suppression delivery system provided in communities. A Public Protection Classification (PPC) number is determined based on the analysis, and insurance companies use PPC information to help establish fair premiums for homeowner and commercial fire insurance.  With a split Class 3/3X all properties located within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant and within 5 road miles of a staffed fire station will use Class 3.  All properties located further than 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant and within 5 road miles of fire station will use Class 3X.   Assuming all other factors are equal, the price of fire insurance is, in general, lower in communities with a good PPC than in those with a poor PPC. Public Protection Classification numbers range from 1 to 10. The highest rating a fire suppression program can receive is a Class 1. Programs with a Class 10 rating do not meet the ISO’s minimum criteria.  Large commercial building may be evaluated separately and receive an individual PPC rating. ISO Letter 

Criteria for the ISO PPC program includes incorporating nationally recognized standards developed by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA).  The fire department accounts for 50%, water supply 40%, and emergency communications 10% of overall grade.  The grading criteria includes;

  • Needed Fire Flows, which are representative building locations used to determine the theoretical amount of water necessary for fire suppression.

  • Emergency Communications, including emergency reporting, telecommunications, and dispatching systems.

  • Fire Department, including equipment, staffing, training, geographical distribution of fire companies, operational considerations, and community risk reduction.

  • Water Supply, including inspection and flow testing of fire hydrants, alternative water supply operations, and a careful evaluation of the amount of available water compared with the amount needed to suppress fires up to 3,500 gallons per minute (gpm).

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