Improved fire rating should mean insurance savings for Mundelein residents

The Mundelein Fire Department has earned a Class 2 rating from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), the second-highest possible rating for fire protection services, the village has announced.

The new rating, which places the department in the top 4 percent in the nation, will take effect May 1 and should lead to lower insurance costs for property owners in the village. ISO collects and evaluates fire suppression capabilities in more than 48,000 communities in the U.S. and most insurers use that data when calculating premiums.

The four major areas evaluated by the ISO were emergency communications; water supply; fire department assessment; and community risk reduction.

"Improving our community's ISO classification required resources and hard work," Fire Chief Bill Lark said in the village announcement. "To achieve this goal, we had to make important decisions about priorities and budgets. I am extremely happy and proud of this accomplishment."