Spalding County has received an Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating of Class 3/3X which has been achieved by only 12% of communities nationwide. The ISO currently evaluates over 50,000 Fire Departments nationwide with only 3,456 earning the Class 3 Rating. The rating reflects the hard work and dedication of all the Spalding County Firefighters and their commitment to save lives and property. The new Public Protection Classification (PPC) will become effective on May 1, 2019.

Fire Departments across the Nation are rated by the Insurance Service Office (ISO) to determine a Public Protection Classification (PPC) for individual Cities and Counties. This rating is published by the ISO and used by the Insurance Companies to determine rates. The ISO Schedule develops a PPC number on a relative scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the very best and 10 representing less than minimum recognized fire protection. Most U.S. Insurers of Homes and Business Property use PPC in calculating premiums.

When the ISO evaluates a Fire Department’s capabilities, it uses a system called the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) which employs nationally accepted standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International.

The FSRS considers 2 main areas of a community’s fire suppression capabilities including Emergency Communications (911 Call Center), the Fire Department and Water Supply. Additionally, it includes a Community Risk Reduction section that recognizes community efforts to reduce losses through fire prevention, public fire safety education and fire investigation.

The Spalding County Fire Department’s improved PPC classification is a reflection of the County’s commitment to provide quality Public Safety to the citizens of Spalding County.