36 FALL • 2011
www.carolinafirejournal.com
Carolina Fire Rescue EMS Journal
Should we review the ISO rating system? By Brian Barnes
By John C. Mero
The strongest factors that affect our high standards in the fire services are tradition and pride in our work. However, tradition and pride do not guarantee that we are improving the vital services we provide to the public. Although our tradition of high standards is seen in the way we treat our equipment and train new firefighters, it is difficult to know, with any certainty, whether or not we are improving as organizations.This is why we rely on one formal measure, the Insurance Services Office (ISO) — Public Protection Classification (PPC), to assess our performance. The ISO-PPC is a third-party standardized assessment that is
performed approximately once a decade. Most departments accept this accreditation process as the only system of assessment. It is for this reason we set out to begin an investigation of its accuracy and therefore usefulness as a way to measure our performance. After all, we know our strict adherence to centuries of tradition is not enough to meet the criteria of 21st century evaluation practices, but conversely do we know with certainty that the ISO meets modern day standards? This is a particularly important question to ask at this moment because the ISO is in the process of overhauling the PPC system, and we as fire departments, citi-
zens, and academics must be aware of, and involved in the process. In this essay, we present evidence that suggests the ISO as it is currently structured might not be the most accurate tool for measuring overall performance for two reasons. First, we found that half of fire chiefs in one rural North Carolina county believe the ISO rating is “unrealistic� and “needs overhaul.� Second, we compared department budgets to ISO ratings and found evidence of an association between them (the bigger a department’s budget, the better its rating). Consequently, it appears the ISO rating might be influenced more by budget size than by level of performance.
How Do You Feel About the ISO Rating? (Responses from 16 chiefs in one rural N.C. county)
Needs Overhaul/ Unrealistic
Good Service
Incomplete
Caveats We want to stress that our research is exploratory and far from conclusive. More sophisticated survey research and statistical analysis is needed before we can make any conclusive claims about the value of the current rating system. Over the next year, we hope to conduct a statewide survey of fire chiefs and analyze more data in regard to ISO rating and departments’ loss of life, rural or urban status, response time, and several other variables. Our goal is twofold. First, we want to begin an honest discussion throughout the
profession about the ISO rating process. Second, we want to conduct sound social scientific research that will inform the honest discussion. We invite fire fighters and academics to join us in this important research that has real life consequences.
Our Methods and Results Our findings rely on two methods of analysis. First, we conducted a survey of fire chiefs in a rural North Carolina county. — that wishes to remain annonymous. We found there is a significant level of dissatisfaction among the chiefs when asked:“How do you feel about the ISO Rating Process?� In the pie chart, the green section represents the portion of
those satisfied with the rating system, while the larger blue section represents the portion of those dissatisfied with the rating system.Those chiefs who did not answer the question on our questionnaire are represented by the grey portion. For our statewide survey, we will ask the chiefs to better explain their responses so we can have more information on why they are satisfied or dissatisfied. Additionally, we will follow-up with those who chose not to answer the question to find out why they did not respond.This is important because there might be political pressures or department pressures that prevent some chiefs from responding honestly to the question. Our
The Language Institute at SPCC...Go beyond ŽŠ›—ȹ Â˘Â˜ÂžÂ›Čą —Ž¥Â?Čą •Š—Â?žŠÂ?ÂŽČą Â?‘Žȹ ÂœÂŠÂ–ÂŽČą  Š¢ȹ Â˘Â˜ÂžČą •ŽŠ›—ŽÂ?Čą Â˘Â˜ÂžÂ›Čą ꛜÂ?Čą •Š—Â?žŠÂ?ÂŽČŻÂœÂ™ÂŽÂŠÂ”Â’Â—Â?ȹŠ—Â?ČąÂ?ŽĴ’—Â?ČąÂ’Â—ÂœÂ?Š—Â?ČąÂ?ÂŽÂŽÂ?Â‹ÂŠÂŒÂ”ÇŻČą ˜ Ž›ŽÂ?ȹ‹¢ȹ Â˜ÂœÂŽÄ´ÂŠČą Â?Â˜Â—ÂŽÇ°ČąÂ?‘Žȹ Š—Â?žŠÂ?ÂŽČą —œÂ?Â’Â?žÂ?ŽȹŠÂ?Čą ČąÂ˜Ä›ÂŽÂ›ÂœČąÂ•ÂŠÂ—Â?žŠÂ?ÂŽČąÂ’Â—ÂœÂ?›žŒÂ?Â’Â˜Â—ČąÂ’Â—Čą more than 20 languages. —•¢ȹǞŗĹ?śȹÂ?Â˜Â›ČąÂŽÂŠÂŒÂ‘ČąĹšČŹÂ–Â˜Â—Â?Â‘ČąÂ™Â›Â˜Â?›Š–ǯȹ Â›Â˘ČąÂ˜Â—ÂŽČąÂ–Â˜Â—Â?‘ȹÂ?Â˜Â›ČąÇžĹœĹ›ČąÂ˜Â›ČąÂ?Â Â˜Čą –˜—Â?Â‘ÂœČąÂ?Â˜Â›ČąÇžĹ—Ĺ˜Ĺ–ÇŻ ŽŠÂ?¢ȹÂ?Â˜ČąÂœÂ?Š›Â?Ǿȹ Š••ȹ Ž›’ȹ ÂžÂ—ÂŒÂŠÂ—ČąÂŠÂ?ČąĹ?Ĺ–ĹšČŹĹ˜Ĺ&#x;Ĺ–ČŹĹ›Ĺ˜Ĺ˜Ĺ—ÇŻ
4209 Old Charlotte Highway, Monroe, NC 680 Highway 74 West, Polkton, NC 514 N. Washington St., Wadesboro, NC ‡ ZZZ VSFF HGX