Gosnell’s fire rating from the Insurance Service Office (ISO) recently moved from a five to a four. ISO ratings help determine fire insurance rates. ISO’s system is ranked from one to ten with 10 being the worst rating and one being the best.
In an email to Gosnell Mayor Don Marshall, a representative from ISO wrote, “Each insurance company independently determines the premiums it charges it policyholders. The way an insurer uses ISO’s information on public fire protection may depend on several things –the company’s fire-loss experience, ratemaking methodology, underwriting guidelines and its marketing strategy.”
Gosnell Fire Chief Shawn Paschal stated that to the best of his knowledge this change will only affect insurance. He also stated that the last time this rating was done was about six years ago. He said that a city can request that they be reviewed if they feel a difference has been made in their department, but if not ISO typically reviews on a ten year basis.
“Our water company has improved. Now the ISO standards have changed some. They had different regulations, different qualifications. Our training has definitely improved out at Gosnell. The participation with the members of the fire department, we have put in a lot more hours of training this year,” Paschal said.
Paschal added that the department is going to try to get to a rating of three within the next few years. He believes that if everyone works together another rating improvement is achievable.
gwilliams@blythevillecourier.com