City of St. Charles receives top fire protection rating
The city of St. Charles has been awarded a Class 1 rating for fire protection from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), designating St. Charles as one of only 99 cities out of 45,000 surveyed in the United States to earn the elite ISO Class 1 status.
This ranking could translate into lower fire insurance rates for St. Charles residents and businesses.
A presentation of the award was made at the April 20 city council meeting by representatives from the Insurance Services Office.
The St. Charles Fire Department is one of only 23 fire departments in the country to hold both the ISO Class 1 rating and International Accreditation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.
ISO's Public Protection Classification ratings are utilized to help establish appropriate fire insurance premiums for residential, commercial and industrial properties. The program provides an objective countrywide standard that helps fire departments plan and budget for facilities, equipment and training. ISO's evaluation program includes 10 classifications, with 1 being the highest and 10 being the lowest.
The city of St. Charles scored 93.81 points out of 105.5 possible points during an ISO audit in January of this year. The rating is based upon a comprehensive review of fire department capabilities and efforts (50 percent), the water supply system (40 percent) and the emergency communications system (10 percent).
Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet stated that "Our achievement of the Class 1 rating demonstrates the professionalism of all fire department members and their commitment to provide the highest levels of service to our community. I am very appreciative of the dedication and expertise of the members of the water division of the public works department, Tri-Com Central Dispatch and the neighboring fire departments whom we have partnered with for automatic aid and without whom this achievement would not have been possible."
"Property owners within the city of St. Charles, both commercial and residential, because of the highest quality fire protection, will now have access to some of the lowest insurance rates for fire-loss insurance."
For more information, contact Chief Schelstreet at (630) 377-4458.
About the ISO
ISO is a leading source of information, products and services about property and liability risk. ISO provides statistical, actuarial, underwriting, claims, and related information and analyses to insurers, reinsurers, agents, insurance regulators, and other government agencies. For more information, visit the ISO mitigation website at www.isomitigation.com.
About the City of St. Charles
Friendly neighborhoods, diverse retailers, international employers, innovative schools, beautiful parks, varied cultural amenities, and unique architecture have earned St. Charles its reputation as the Pride of the Fox. Located in both DuPage and Kane counties, the City of St. Charles is 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, and has a population of approximately 33,000. Over 2,100 businesses, consisting of a balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and manufacturing facilities, employ more than 18,000 people. The City of St. Charles was named the #1 City for Families by Family Circle magazine in 2011; one of the "150 Great Places in Illinois," by the AIA Illinois; and one of the "Top 10 Towns To Live In" by West Suburban Living magazine. Visit www.stcharlesil.gov.