Minimum Criteria for Class 8B

Class 8B is a Public Protection Classification (PPCTM) for communities that provide superior fire-protection services and fire alarm facilities but lack the water supply required for a PPC of Class 8 or better.

To compensate for limited water supplies, many communities have improved their firefighting equipment, training, and management techniques, as well as their fire alarm systems. Class 8B will recognize those improvements.

How it works
To be eligible for Class 8B, a community must meet the fundamental requirements for a classification better than Class 9. The community must have:

• an adequate number of well-organized and properly trained firefighters
• reliable fire alarm facilities
• adequate fire station facilities
• operational records

However, the community does not need to meet the water-supply requirement of 250 gpm for two hours necessary for PPC Class 8 or better.

Specifically, to get a rating of Class 8B, a community must meet these requirements:

• It must meet the minimum requirements defined in Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) Section 106, "Minimum Facilities for Applying This Schedule."
• It must be eligible for at least 5 points in FSRS Section 400, "Receiving and Handling Fire Alarms."
• It must be eligible for at least 20 points in FSRS Section 500, "Fire Department."
• An average of at least six firefighters must respond on first-alarm responses to structure fires.
• For active firefighters, it must conduct a minimum of 24 hours per year of training in fighting structure fires.
• The water supply must be able to deliver an uninterrupted minimum fire flow of 200 gpm for 20 minutes.
• The minimum fire flow must be able to start within five minutes of the arrival of the first engine company.
• The primary responding fire department and all automatic-aid fire departments must be able to deliver the minimum fire flow.
• The departments must be able to deliver the minimum fire flow to at least 85% of the built-upon areas of the community within five road miles of a recognized fire station.

ISO will apply the Class 8B criteria as we survey communities over the next several years.

Download a copy of "Determining Class 8B Eligibility," including a detailed explanation of the requirements and a checklist.

For more information . . .
. . . on any topic related to the PPC program or the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, click Talk to ISO Mitigation, or call the ISO mitigation specialists at 1-800-444-4554.