The improved ISO Public Protection Classification for the city of Warsaw and Wayne Township earned in 2020 means lower insurance costs for those owning property within the communities.
The Warsaw-Wayne Fire Protection Territory’s rating went from a 4 to a 2 before the end of 2020, and now the fire department hopes to achieve a rating of 1.
Insurance Services Office (ISO) creates ratings for fire departments and their surrounding communities. In the ISO rating scale, a lower number is better, with 1 being the best and 10 meaning the fire department didn’t meet minimum requirements. ISO is an independent, for-profit organization. Insurance premiums can go up or down depending on the ISO ratings.
Battalion Chief Aaron Bolinger told the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Protection Territory Board on Tuesday, “The ISO Classification, just here in your packet, really doesn’t go far enough to explain what four fire chiefs over the last 20 years have done for the community. A vision starting out with Chief Warren through Chief Rice, Chief Brubaker and then with Chief Wilson.”
He said he believed the Territory’s classification was a 7 under Warren, but with the 2020 report, it’s now down to a 2 under Wilson. The lower the rating number, the more savings a community can see through reduced insurance cost at renewal time or initial writing of a coverage policy.
“The vision of the fire chiefs, setting the path with the training that we have, the equipment, testing of fire hose, our engines, our ladder, staffing that has been provided, has come together to this class 2 rating. Quite the undertaking in the time it has,” Bolinger said.
He said properties saw a “huge drop” in their insurance as the rating dropped from a 7 to a 2 over the years.
Bolinger said one thing the Fire Territory sees, as far as helping it boost its next rating, is keeping better times for all of its responding apparatus.
“We fall under NFPA 17-10, and that gives us how much time we should be getting to a house that is on fire, to an EMS run, the different calls and how many people should be there. Right now, our systems in place do not track times for everyone very well. They track times for just one unit, where if we can break these times out better, we will see a better score under that so they can see how well we meet the 17-10 standard,” Bolinger explained.
Mayor Joe Thallemer said the classification rating of 2 was actually announced in late August and Fire Chief Mike Wilson wanted to highlight it as an end-of-year accomplishment. Wilson was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting.
“It’s huge,” Bolinger said.
Thallemer asked if the 2 rating was just for the city, but Bolinger said it was for “anybody that the Fire Territory touches.” That includes areas within 5 miles of each of the Territory’s three fire stations. When the Fire Territory added Fire Station 3 to the south, Bolinger said that “tremendously helped” with the rating.
“Does that include the entire Fire Territory?” Thallemer asked.
Bolinger said it did not as the southwest corner is still left out because of its distance from a fire station. He estimated the 2 rating covered about 80% of the Fire Territory.
Thallemer asked Bolinger what were the biggest factors he attributed the improvement of a 4 to a 2 rating to.
“Training records and the ability to shuttle water with tankers. And the manpower. The manpower is a huge part of your ISO rating,” Bolinger said.
The Fire Territory will be working on response times and a company inspection program this year. The county radio program also will be a helpful factor in moving the 2 rating to a 1.
“The manpower is going to be the important one because … when we get past that June and July, and the vacations start hitting in, that’s when our manpower starts to drop and the part-time program has helped to supplement the loss of our people for vacation days or sick days, but it’s really something we’re going to have to keep an eye on as we move forward,” Bolinger said.
He said getting a rating from a 7 to a 2 or 1 takes time.
According to information provided to the Territory board, there are 388 total Class 1 communities and 1,729 Class 2 communities out of 38,850 published communities. Warsaw-Wayne is one of 1,729 published Class 2 communities.
Thallemer said, “According to the math, looks like we’re just slightly over 4% of communities that achieved a 2 so we’re in a very upper echelon of communities that provides the service and protection for not only our residents but also our businesses with what we’ve done. So that’s all good stuff and I think it was good to bring that out and make sure that didn’t go unnoticed this year.”
He noted that out of the 105.5 points for the classification, 10 are for communication systems, 50 are for fire department operations and 40 are for water supply system. Another 5.5 is for “divergence, review of community risk reduction.”
Thallemer said that while operations is the most critical factor in ISO, close behind is the water supply system.
Board member Brandon Schmitt talked about the importance of training for firefighters, and they train a lot.
In other business, the Fire Territory board approved a preventive maintenance contract with Zoll Medical Corporation for the Zoll monitors that were provided by the K21 Health Foundation in 2020. Cost for maintenance on the four monitors for a year is $1,020.
An affiliation agreement between the Territory and Parkview Health Systems Inc. was approved. The agreement is for the association of the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician classroom students involved in the Advanced EMT class being taught within the Territory’s EMS training institute in Warsaw. It’s a three-year contract. There’s a similar agreement with Kosciusko Community Hospital.
Thallemer gave the oath of office to Territory board members Jeanie Stackhouse, Wayne Township trustee; Michael Klondaris, city councilman; and Schmitt. Member Gordon Nash was absent. Since Thallemer can’t swear himself in, and an attorney was not present, he was not sworn in and could not vote on any motion.
Shirley Fetrow was reappointed the recording secretary by the board, with Andrew Grossnickle appointed as the Fire Territory attorney. Wilson was reappointed as fire chief.
