This PPC rating improvement will be effective in March 2019. ISO’s Public Protection Classification program plays an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies. Most U.S. insurers use PPC information as part of their decision making when deciding what coverage to offer or prices to charge for personal and commercial property insurance. The PPC survey completed in late 2018 resulted in an improved split rating of 3/3X for the City of Blaine, which is an improvement over the old PPC rating of 4/9 obtained in 2009.
Classifications are provided on a scale of 1-10. Class 1 represents an exemplary fire suppression program and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire suppression program does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria. The overwhelming majority of the SBMFD Fire Protection Service Area is now rated ISO PPC Class 3. The split rating (3/3X) is obtained due to the City of Blaine possessing areas where structures are more than 1000 feet from a fire hydrant, but within 5 miles of a recognized fire station. Those areas now receive an ISO PPC rating of Class 3X. Of the over 43,000 U.S. communities provided with an ISO PPC rating in 2017, only 12 percent received a rating of Class 3 or better.
“It’s good news for everyone, and not just monetarily, but it also just shows you the fire department is an effective response entity and doing their job,” said Chief Smith. “That’s what we’re continually trying to do, (trying) to improve and be the best we can be.”
The cities of Spring Lake Park and Mounds View retained their previous PPC ratings of Class 3, with a slight improvement in the overall score. Plans to improve Blaine’s ISO PPC rating began in 2016 in accordance with objectives established in the SBMFD strategic plan. The community was assessed and given points in the following areas: emergency communications, fire department, water supply and community risk reduction.
The PPC rating improvement was primarily due to recognition of the SBMFD’s excellent community risk reduction programs as well as increased amount of fire department training and improvements by Anoka County Communications.
