By Jeff Haldiman
For the Fulton Sun
The Holts Summit Fire Protection has earned a high rating after an evaluation of the fire services offered within the district.
The district received a 4/4Y rating after being reviewed by the Insurance Services Office in September. The last ISO review for the district was in 2014 and moved Holts Summit from a Class 8 rating to a 5/6Y rating. The score is based on the structural fire suppression system capabilities of the district. ISO’s Fire Suppression Rating Schedule evaluates four primary categories of fire suppression: fire department, emergency communications, water supply and community risk reduction.
According to the ISO website, ISO staff collect information about municipal fire protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes the relevant data and assigns a Public Protection Classification (PPCTM) — a number from 1-10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire suppression program does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria.
“This rating is something our citizens should be proud of,” said Scott Pasley, Holts Summit Fire District public information officer. “In 2017, less than 30 percent of all fire departments reviewed in the United States had a score of 4 or better. Our citizens provide the department with the support and resources we need, and in return our volunteers strive to always provide the best service possible.”
Pasley said the Holts Summit Fire Protection District joins a group of less than 300 of the more than 1,500 fire departments in Missouri to have a score of 4 or lower according to the ISO Mitigation website.
Holts Summit Fire Chief Jason Turner also praised the efforts of the fire district board and staff.
“The Board of Directors should also be commended for their continued support and hard work to make good on the promises made in the bond issue that funded $3 million worth of equipment and facility improvements,” he added.
Virtually all U.S. insurers of homes and business property use ISO’s Public Protection Classifications in calculating premiums. In general, the price of fire insurance in a community with a low ISO number is substantially lower than in a community with a higher number.
Pasley said the split between 4 and 4Y in the classification reflects service related to distance from a water supply.
“The first number represents the classification for those properties that are within 5 miles of a fire station and have a reliable water supply, such as a fire hydrant, within 1,000 feet of the structure,” Pasley said. “The second number applies to those properties within 5 miles of a fire station that are not within 1,000 feet of a water supply.”
Holts Summit Fire was founded as a volunteer fire department in 1970, becoming a fire protection district in 1988. The district currently has two fire stations, one located on South Summit in Holts Summit and another located off Route AA in Callaway County.