(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The City of Ketchikan Fire Department was recently notified by the Insurance Service Office (ISO) that the fire protection rating for the department will be improving to a Class 2/2Y.

In a prepared statement, Fire Chief Frank Share said to achieve this Class 2/2Y rating is truly a testament to the continued hard work o the members of the City of Ketchikan Fire Department Share said, "Whether it is in training responding to emergencies, or efforts in fire prevention, and record keeping, the push for excellence by our members is something that makes our department one of the best in Alaska. I feel truly honored to be able say that the City of Ketchikan Fire Department is in the top 1 percent of fire departments across the country. I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of the men and women of the City of Ketchikan Fire Department."

City of Ketchikan Fire Department
File photo by Carl Thompson ©

The improvement in the ISO rating will have a small effect on homeowner's insurance rates but a significant impact on keeping the commercial rates low for business and industry, something that can be a tremendous recruiting tool for future development said Share.

ISO has been evaluating and assigning fire protection ratings to fire department since 1971. Insurance companies use the fire protection ratings to determine homeowners and business insurance premiums. ISO evaluates fire department equipment, station locations, training, fire prevention efforts, water supply, dispatch capabilities, record keeping, and many other factors to assign a protection rating.

Share said the City of Ketchikan has held a Class 4/8B rating for nearly 10 years but will now be a Class 2/2Y department effective August 25, 2014. According to information from ISO, of the 47,250 fire departments across the country, less than 750 obtain a rating of Class 2 rating or better. That is only 1 percent of the departments in our nation that have achieved this rating. With this new rating, the City of Ketchikan Fire Department becomes only the third department in the State of Alaska to receive a Class 2 rating.

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.

Chief Share would like to remind residents to "Check their smoke alarms and have an escape plan with their families."

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News: 

City of Ketchikan Fire Department

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