Agency Achieves ISO Class 1 Rating, Lowers Insurance Rates
July 26, 2024 by Lexi Belvis
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) rates fire departments on their preparedness and ability to protect communities. Because a department’s ISO rating is an indicator of the level of service a department can provide, the rating impacts the surrounding community’s insurance rates.
A Class 1 ISO rating — the highest tier — is only achieved by around 1% of fire departments. Thanks to a dedication to safety and modern technology, the Germantown Fire Department in Tennessee joined the ranks.
“There are different aspects of a dispatch center that factor into the scoring,” Tony Fischer, director of information technology for the City of Germantown, said. “It’s a combination of a lot of things. Your technology, your computer aided dispatch (CAD), your water system, response time, vehicle, etc.”
Fischer credits the department’s Enterprise CAD system with helping them achieve the milestone.
“There are many components, and the CAD piece of it is a very important piece. Having a reliable CAD system set up with all the redundancies — it all plays into that ISO rating.”
Germantown’s Class 1 ISO rating is more than just a crowning achievement for the city’s fire department — it’s a testament to their dedication to their community.
“It delivers a lower cost of insurance and better service for our citizens in our community," said Fischer "Tyler has been a part of that journey and helped us achieve this rating and provide this better service.”
There are many components, and the CAD piece of it is a very important piece. Having a reliable CAD system set up with all the redundancies — it all plays into that ISO rating.
Tony Fischer
Director of Information Technology, City of Germantown, Tennessee
According to Fischer, the benefits of a modern CAD system go beyond supporting a top-tier ISO rating. Mapping capabilities have given the city’s fire crews improved situational awareness throughout the community.
“Our crews love the CAD web view. We have it on a TV in all the fire stations. They can keep track of what's going on around the city, unit availability, unit location, the different calls that are in progress,” Fischer said. “Having that on board in the vehicles and at all the stations is really helpful for keeping crews informed.”
Looking to improve your ISO ratings? Explore Tyler’s CAD solutions and tools to improve the pre-planning process.