With new ISO rating, ORFD among top in nation

Improvement could lower commercial rates in particular, help recruitment

The Oak Ridge Fire Department has been notified by the Insurance Service Office that the fire protection rating for the department will be improving to a Class 2, a press release said.

ISO has been evaluating and assigning fire protection ratings to fire departments since 1971. Insurance companies use the fire protection ratings to determine home owners and business insurance premiums. ISO evaluates fire department equipment, station locations, training, fire prevention efforts, and many other factors to assign a protection rating.

The ORFD has held a Class 3 rating for nearly 15 years but will now be a Class 2 department effective June 1, 2014. According to information from ISO, of the 47,250 fire departments across the country, less than 650 obtain a rating of Class 2 rating or better.

“That is less than 1 percent of the departments in our nation with this rating,” the press release said. “With this new rating, the ORFD becomes only the sixth department in the State of Tennessee out of more than 720 departments to achieve a Class 2 rating.”

“To achieve this Class 2 rating is truly a testament to the continued hard work of the members of the ORFD,” Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. “Whether it is in training, responding to emergencies, or efforts in fire prevention, the push for excellence by our members is something that makes our department one of the best in Tennessee. To say that the ORFD is in the top 1 percent of fire departments across the country is truly humbling. I am so very proud of the men and women of the Oak Ridge Fire Department.”

The improvement in the ISO rating will have a small effect on homeowner’s insurance rates but a significant impact on commercial rates for business and industry, something that can be a tremendous recruiting tool for future development, the press release said. In order to receive the full benefits of the Class 2 rating, a building has to be located within five miles of a fire station and have a fire hydrant located with 1,000 feet.

“Most all of our homes and businesses in town meet the requirements to get full credit of the new ISO rating, but we do have a few areas that are outside of the five miles,” Kerley said. “If anyone has questions about the new ISO rating, they can contact our office for clarification.”

For more information, call Kerley at (865) 425-3520.