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Evanston Fire Department Maintains Top Fire Protection Rating

EVANSTON, IL - The Evanston Fire Department announced today that the department's fire protection services was awarded the highest possible rating from the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO). The department received a Class 1 designation award through its Public Protection Classification (PPC) program, which assesses communities' fire protection efforts. The Evanston Fire Department has secured this elite rating since October 1, 2018.

ISO helps communities evaluate their public fire protection services by classifying their ability to suppress fires. The PPC program provides an objective, nationwide standard that helps fire departments in planning and budgeting for facilities, equipment, and training. By securing lower fire insurance premiums for communities with better public protection, the PPC program provides incentives and rewards for communities that choose to improve their firefighting services. In general, the price of insurance in a community with a good PPC is lower than in a community with a poor PPC, assuming all other factors are equal.

ISO's Public Protection Classification review is conducted by expert ISO staff on a five-year cycle and includes site visits, records examination, and observation. Four major areas are evaluated:

• Fire department operations
• Water supply
• Emergency communications
• Community risk reduction

ISO has evaluated the fire protection services of more than 46,000 fire departments nationwide. Only 305 nationwide, including 16 in Illinois, have achieved a Class 1 designation, placing the Evanston Fire Department in the top 1 percent of all fire departments in the country.

"For our fire department to achieve ISO Class 1 status is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of our members" said Fire Chief Paul Polep. "This milestone highlights the invaluable support we receive from other divisions within the city and, most importantly, from our city leadership. Their commitment to excellence enables us to serve our community with the absolute highest standards."

This outstanding achievement would not have been possible without the hard work and collaboration of many City of Evanston departments and staff, including members of the Evanston Fire Department, Public Works Agency Water Production Bureau, Fleet Maintenance, IT Division, and Evanston Police Department Communications Bureau.

For more information, visit the ISO mitigation website at www.isomitigation.com or call/text the City of Evanston at 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

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Media Relations: Division Chief Kimberly Kull
kkull@cityofevanston.org
Phone: 847-866-5922