Posted on August 17, 2018
Davie Fire Rescue Awarded Class 1 Public Protection Classification Rating
As of September 1, 2018, the Town of Davie Fire Rescue Department will be classified as a Class 1 Public Protection Classification (PPC) Rating agency. The Class 1 rating is the highest possible score that can be given to any fire department nationwide. Throughout the United States, there are only 329 departments that are a class 1 and only 32 in Florida. There are over 47,000 fire departments in the country.
“This rating reflects the hard work and dedication of all Davie Fire Rescue personnel and our commitment to save lives and property,” said Fire Rescue Chief Julie Downey.
How the department was rated:
- Fire Department – 50% is derived from fire operational capacity, including the number and locations of fire stations and how the department maintains and tests its engine and ladder companies.
Water supply – 40% is based on availability of enough water to fight a fire, focusing on whether the community has sufficient water supply for fire suppression beyond daily maximum consumption, as well as the number and location of fire hydrants and how often hydrants are inspected and tested.
- Emergency communications systems – 10% of the score is from the level of communication with the public, such as how well the fire department receives and dispatches fire alarms, including the level of technology and number of personnel in the emergency call center.
- Community risk reduction - the calculation takes into consideration community risk reduction efforts such as fire prevention, public fire safety education and fire investigation.
Most U.S. insurers of home and business properties use the ISO’s PPC in calculating premiums. 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.
A community’s PPC depends on:
- Emergency communications systems, including facilities for the public to report fires, staffing, training, certification of telecommunicators, and facilities for dispatching fire departments.
- The fire department, including equipment, staffing, training, and geographic deployment of fire companies.
- The water supply system, including the inspection and flow testing of hydrants and a careful evaluation of the amount of available water compared with the amount needed to suppress fires.
- Community efforts to reduce the risk of fire, including fire prevention codes and enforcement, public fire safety education, and fire investigation programs.