Accreditation and Fire Department Rating

Fire departments rely heavily upon evidence-based standards developed by national organizations, most notably the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA standards guide departments in everything from prevention education programs to equipment maintenance to fire response procedures. Fire chiefs have increasingly relied upon professional organizations to stay abreast of best practices.

In many states, fire departments are largely guided by ratings issued by the Insurance Services Organization (ISO), a for-profit organization that delivers information to insurance agencies. The ISO regularly evaluates fire departments based on a comprehensive set of standards, including water supply access, fire code enforcement, training hours, joint operations with outside agencies, and prevention programs. Based upon these criteria, departments are rated on a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being the highest. Beyond the distinction of a higher status, ratings can impact insurance rates for the entire community, though more so for commercial properties. Because the ISO rating examines the activity of agencies outside the fire department, such as public works and water supply, it encourages fire chiefs to cultivate relationships with more stakeholders in the community. Likewise, fire chiefs can point to ISO ratings, and the requirements to graduate on the scale, as justification for budget requests. It is important for city executives to be aware of these requirements to have a better understanding of the demands of fire departments.