2022 ANNUAL REPORT-Final

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EMERGENCY SERVICES

Frederick County’s Public Protection Classification by the Insurance Services Office

In 2022, Frederick County completed our quinquennial evaluation to rate our Public Protection Classification performed by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). The PPC program rates a jurisdiction’s ability to respond to fire emergency by rating their Emergency Communications Systems (10%), Fire Department (50%) and Water Supply (40%) that data retrieved is compiled and ends with a numerical rating of 1 (best possible) through 10 (limited protection).

ISO evaluates the Emergency Communications infrastructure and performance in rapidly answering and dispatching calls for service. ISO evaluates the Fire Department’s staffing, apparatus and equipment, training, and response times. They also look at the municipal water supply to evaluate flow, reserve, main size, hydrant size and type as well as the system’s inspection and maintenance program. Historically ISO has rated Frederick County by individual fire station’s first due area, due to a change in ISO process Frederick County was evaluated in two service areas across our 664 square miles. The area that includes Frederick City and its adjoining suburbs was included in the Frederick Fire Protection Service Area and the remainder of the County was included in the Frederick

County Fire Protection Service Area (see map on following page).

ISO’s Public Protection Classification Program (PPC) plays an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies. In fact, most U.S. insurers – including the largest ones – use PPC information as part of their decision- making when deciding what business to write, coverage to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance.

Each insurance company independently determines the premiums it charges its policyholders. The way an insurer uses ISO’s information on public fire protection may depend on several things – the company’s fire -loss experience, ratemaking methodology, underwriting guidelines, and its marketing strategy. PPC is important to communities and fire departments as well. Communities whose PPC improves may get lower insurance prices. PPC also provides fire departments with a valuable benchmark and is used by many departments as a valuable tool when planning, budgeting, and justifying fire protection improvements.