Insurance Service Office Rating

The Public Protection Classification (PPC®) program recognizes the efforts of communities to provide fire protection services for citizens and property owners. A community’s investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predicator of future fire losses. Most insurance companies use PPC information to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance — generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection. By offering economic benefits for communities that invest in their firefighting services, the program provides an additional incentive for improving and maintaining public fire protection.

The program also provides help for fire departments and other public officials as they plan, budget for, and justify improvements.

The most significant benefit of the PPC program is its effect on losses. Statistical data on insurance losses bears out the relationship between excellent fire protection — as measured by the PPC program — and low fire losses. PPC helps communities prepare to fight fires effectively.

Current PPC Ratings as of 2019

The Frankfort Fire Protection District has a split classification.  This is due to the combination of occupancies that range from suburban, industrial, and rural.  

Class 3:         Any building within 5 road miles of one of our 5 stations AND within 1000’ of a    hydrant or dry hydrant.

Class 4:         Any building within 5 road miles of one of our stations AND not within 1000’ of a hydrant.

The PPC Evaluation Process

To determine a community's Public Protection Classification (PPC®), ISO conducts a field survey. Expert ISO staff visit the community to observe and evaluate features of the fire protection systems.

• Emergency communications systems
  A review of the emergency communications systems accounts for 10 points of the total classification. The review focuses on the community's facilities and support for handling and dispatching alarms for structure fires.

• Fire department
  A review of the fire department accounts for 50 points of the total classification. ISO focuses on a community's fire suppression capabilities. We measure suppression capabilities based on the fire department's first-alarm response and initial attack to minimize potential loss. Here, ISO reviews such items as engine companies, ladder or service companies, deployment of fire companies, equipment carried on apparatus, pumping capacity, reserve apparatus, company personnel, and training.

• Water supply
  A review of the water supply system accounts for 40 points of the total classification. ISO evaluates the community's water supply system to determine the adequacy for fire suppression purposes. We also consider hydrant size, type, and installation, as well as the frequency and completeness of hydrant inspection and flow-testing programs.

• Community risk reduction
  We review a community's risk reduction efforts and credit them in the Community Risk Reduction section, which allows for extra credit of up to 5.5 points for a potential total of 105.5. That takes into account fire prevention code adoption and enforcement, public fire safety education, and fire investigation.