The Ross Township Fire Department has retained the Insurance Service Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification (PPC) Class 3 status, following a recent reevaluation, Fire Chief Steve Miller announced.

According to a release, the ISO PPC ranges from Class 1, which denotes superior property protection, to Class 10, which indicates that an entity’s fire protection does not meet the minimum criteria established by ISO. The Ross Township Fire Department has been a Class 3 fire department since 2015.

According to Miller, better ratings reflect the quality of a fire department and the services it provides and usually translates into lower-cost property owner’s insurance premiums for customers of insurance companies that subscribe to ISO data.

The Insurance Service Office reviews the credentials of approximately 46,000 fire departments across the country. Class status is determined through a comprehensive five-year ISO analysis review of various criteria, including emergency communications, fire department operations, water supply systems and fire risk reduction efforts.

The latest review has identified areas Miller wants to look at improving in the next 5 years. Despite those challenges and the areas, he identified for improvement, Miller said he takes pride in what the department has accomplished.

“This designation of Class 3 status is a direct reflection of the dedication and hard work of all of the members of the department and the support of the township administration and the board of Trustees” Miller stated. “This is a great achievement for our community.

According to Miller, only 12% of fire departments across the country attain a status of Class 3 or better.