Northwest Fire District's rating by the Insurance Services Office has improved from a Class "4" to a "3" in areas with fire hydrants, placing it in a rating class held by 2.6 percent of fire departments in the country.
The improvement "could mean lower insurance costs for residents and businesses" within Northwest, including much of the Town of Marana, according to a release from the district.
The Insurance Services Office is the leading supplier of data for the property / casualty insurance industry. Most insurers use ISO's Public Protection Classification program, which assigns a ranking of Class 1-10 with 1 being the best possible ranking, for calculating premiums on residential, commercial and industrial properties.
To determine a ranking, ISO examines three major features: receiving and handling of fire alarms (fire communications and dispatch), the fire department, and the water supply system. In evaluating a fire department, ISO focuses on items such as engine companies, distribution of fire stations and crews, staffing levels and training.
In many communities with urban, suburban and rural areas, such as Northwest Fire District, ISO develops a "split classification," with proximity to fire hydrants and fire stations a factor.
"Though a significant portion of Northwest Fire District is rural and without nearby hydrants, the district scores higher than many other departments with such areas because it uses water tenders to provide the water supply" where hydrants are not installed, the release said.
For the first time since its formation, the district received a separate rating for the Town of Marana, which also received a Class 3/8B designation.
"The benefits to town residents and businesses are the same as the district," the release continued.
Classification changes take effect Dec. 1.
The last time the district was evaluated by ISO was in 1999.
