Seminole County, Fla. (December 14, 2021) – The Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) recently announced that after a comprehensive evaluation by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), the County has earned an improved rating to Class 1, which is the highest rating given to a fire department regarding its ability to effectively respond to and prevent fires.
The ISO rating system grades communities on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the most capable to respond to and manage fires. The ISO is an independent organization that evaluates a community’s fire protection service in order to aid insurance companies in the establishment of rates for insurance premiums paid by residents and businesses.

The Seminole County Fire Department was awarded the ISO Class 1 rating for its protection of the unincorporated areas of Seminole County, along with the cities of Altamonte Springs, Casselberry and Winter Springs that the County also serves under contracts. The ISO Class 1 rating applies to properties within five (5) road miles of a fire station. This means 99% of all the properties within the Seminole County Fire District receive this enhanced rating.

What this means to the public:
• Beginning February 1, 2022, residential and commercial insurance policies may be eligible for rate reductions due to the improvement in rating from the Department’s former ISO Class 2 to the current ISO Class 1. Note: Seminole County does not have information on rate reduction as that is solely determined by an individual’s insurance company.

“Through the Board of County Commissioners strategic investment in services improvement and the Fire Department’s hard work, we are proud to achieve this enhanced public safety fire rating,” said Seminole County Fire Department Interim Fire Chief Matt Kinley. “This is an accomplishment that less than 1% of the nation’s fire departments achieve – as more than 40,000 departments are rated by ISO. In addition, there are only 10 Counties across the country that are ISO 1 rated, with only three Counties within the State of Florida earning this rating.”

National staff from the ISO organization officially presented the Seminole County Fire Department’s ISO 1 rating to the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners at the December 14, 2021 Board meeting.

“The Commissioners of Seminole County wholeheartedly congratulate our Seminole County Fire Department for their hard work in achieving this top rating,” said Seminole County Commission Chairman Bob Dallari. “This rating is a testament to Seminole County’s dedication to better serve its citizens and visitors every day by making public safety our number one priority. Seminole County Fire Department’s top-rated organization means better safety, peace of mind, and an increased quality of life for our residents and businesses. We are Florida’s Natural Choice.”

During the evaluation process, rating factors such as Department staffing levels, training, location of fire stations, water supply, location of hydrants, communication systems, community outreach and fire prevention, are all used to determine a Public Protection Classification (PPC) score.

Seminole County Government encourages homeowners and business owners to contact their insurance providers to inquire if their premiums will be lowered by the improved classification rating. Visit www.seminolecountyfl.gov/ISO for more information.

Last year, the Seminole County Fire Department responded to a total of 41,448 emergencies including: 697 fire calls; 30,590 emergency medical service (EMS) calls; and 10,161 miscellaneous calls (e.g., high-rise calls, gas leaks, etc.) Servicing these calls resulted in a total of 78,171-unit movements, including 20,883 EMS transports.