MILTON, Ga., June 17, 2015 - The City of Milton Fire Department recently learned the Insurance Services Organization (ISO) lowered the city's rating from 4 to 2/2X, which could mean insurance premiums savings for local home and business owners.

Milton's industrious firefighters are always striving to offer more effective and efficient protection to the community, said Fire Chief Robert Edgar. That innovative approach to public service has meant two successive reductions ratings since the department formed in May 2007.

"This was a lot of work, including extensive evaluation of equipment, station locations, training, and community risk reduction efforts, and it feels great to have it pay off," said Edgar.

According to ISO criteria, the 2 rating will generally apply to all members of the community within 5 miles of a fire station and 1000 feet from a hydrant (97% of properties in the City of Milton). The 2X applies to those properties that do not meet the criteria. Edgar said firefighters are working to identify those properties and determine if they have a credible water source, which may change their rating from a 2X to a 2.

Since each insurance company makes use of this rating according to their own standards, Edgar recommends interested members of the community contact their providers to see if there will be any impact on premiums.  

ISO, an independent company that serves insurance companies, communities, fire departments and insurance regulators, analyzes data from the evaluation using its "Fire Suppression Rating Schedule." The company then assigns a Public Protection Classification (PPC) program number to the community based on that analysis.

A PPC of 1 represents an exemplary fire suppression program. A PPC of 10 indicates the area's fire suppression program does not meet ISO's minimum criteria.

Milton's new ISO rating of 2/2X will be published Sept. 1.