October 7, 2021
The South Bend Fire Department has been awarded a Class 1 Public Protection Classification rating for the first time from ISO (Insurance Services Office), which assesses the municipal fire protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. The Class 1 rating represents superior property fire protection and is the highest of 10 ratings provided by ISO.
“I am very proud of the men and women of the South Bend Fire Department for their accomplishment in earning this classification,” said Fire Chief Carl Buchanon. “This award places SBFD in the top 1 percent of fire departments nationally. I’m also grateful for the collaboration with the Public Works Department, Innovation & Technology, and St. Joseph County 911 Center that made this possible.”
The ISO rating takes into consideration data on fire protection, water access, and emergency communications provided by SBFD, South Bend Municipal Utilities, and the St. Joseph County Public Safety Communications Consortium.
“Our Engineering and Utilities team worked closely with the Fire Department to help them achieve the ISO 1 rating.” said Eric Horvath, public works director. “This is a great example of collaboration across city teams to reach a top goal.”
“On behalf of the women and men of the St. Joseph County Public Safety Communications Consortium (SJCPSCC) we are proud to be a partner with the South Bend Fire Department and congratulate their entire staff on this accomplishment,” said Ray Schultz, executive director of the St. Joseph County 911 Center. “This milestone acknowledgement by an independent agency is a validation of our communication system and our 911 dispatchers.”
Many Indiana insurance companies utilize ISO’s Public Protection Classification system when calculating business and residential premiums. The ISO rating is updated every five years. In 2016, the City of South Bend received a Class 2 classification. Out of more than 42,000 fire department rated by ISO, roughly 400 have achieved the Class 1 rating.