Contact:
Sharon Kraun
678.468.0064
For Immediate Release
Sandy Springs Receives ISO Rating Of 3
Rating places Sandy Springs among top 5 percent in nation
Release Date: 12/6/2011
SANDY SPRINGS (December 6, 2011) — The City of Sandy Springs has received official notification from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), Inc. that the City’s Fire Department has obtained a Class 3 rating for its fire suppression delivery system. Sandy Springs is one of only 56 fire departments in the State of Georgia and one of 1,998 in the country to receive a Class 3 rating. The State of Georgia has no fire departments designated as Class 1. ISO has evaluated and classified 1,038 communities in Georgia and 47,242 communities across the country. The Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department receives an average of 12,000 calls for service each year.
City Manager John McDonough stated, “The successful completion of the ISO review process is a significant milestone for the City of Sandy Springs and our community. The high marks received place Sandy Springs in the top 5% of departments in the country and reflect the hard work and dedication of the men and women of Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department and the great support they receive from our elected officials, citizens and businesses.”
Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Chief Jack McElfish added, “The credit for achieving this great rating belongs to all of our staff. I am proud of the hard work and dedication to excellence that our firefighters exhibit every day.”
The ISO rating plays an important role in the underwriting process and pricing structure used by insurance companies. ISO is the leading supplier of data and analytics for the property/casualty insurance industry. Most insurers use ISO’s Public Protection Classification (PPC) number for underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial and industrial properties. ISO evaluates each community according to a uniform set of criteria as defined in the nationally recognized standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the American Water Works Association. A community’s PPC number depends on several factors:
- Needed Fire Flows, which are representative building locations used to determine the theoretical amount of water necessary for fire suppression purposes.
- Receiving and Handling Fire Alarms, including telephone systems, telephone lines, staffing and dispatching systems.
- Fire Department, including equipment, staffing, training and georgraphic distribution of fire companies.
- Water Supply, including condition and maintenance of 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).
The Class 3 rating will result in substantial cost savings in insurance premiums for the nearly $4.7 billion in insurable property in the City of Sandy Springs.
Sandy Springs was last audited by ISO in 1988. McElfish pointed out that 23 years ago, the population for the area was half the size of today and serviced by four fire stations which is the same as today. In 2009, a consultant recommended that the city double the number of fire stations in the city to accommodate the growing population. Working in partnership with the City of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management and ChatComm 911 Authority, the City began preparing for our ISO evaluation in 2007 with ISO beginning the evaluation in July 2011.
“Rather than double stations and double cost, we thought creatively and leveraged the relationships we have,” said McElfish. We have automatic and mutual aid agreements with Atlanta, Cobb County, DeKalb County and Roswell that provide flexibility on manpower and equipment. In addition, each fire station is equiped with Quint apparatus which has the capability to act as both an engine and ladder truck. We’re working as efficiently and effectively as possible, and the Class 3 rating is indicative of that.”
For more information, please visit us online at www.sandyspringsga.gov, or call the Citizen Response Center at 770-730-5600. Follow breaking news and traffic alerts at twitter.com/sandyspringsga, and “like us” at facebook.com/CoSSGA for community information.
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