Summer 2013

Summer 2013
Welcome to Community Fire Protection News...

Welcome to Community Fire Protection News, our online newsletter for fire chiefs and insurers. We provide concise and topical fire protection information, relevant community mitigation and insurance news, and more.

CFP News is a joint publication of ISO, a member of the Verisk Analytics Family of Companies, and Verisk Insurance Solutions — Commercial Property. In this issue, our lead story focuses on a significant new addition to ISO’s Fire Suppression Rating Schedule: The Community Risk Reduction section recognizes community efforts to reduce losses through fire prevention, public fire safety education, and fire investigation. And don’t miss the groundbreaking news that we identified the six millionth fire hydrant in the United States and added it to our GIS database. Be sure to view our “You Make the Call” video, which explores the operational considerations of residential fires. And take note of our “Insurers’ Report” column, where we explain the new split classifications in our Public Protection Classification (PPC®) structure.

In the battle against property loss, fire department officials around the country can be confident that ISO is an objective source for information and technical support, and insurers can rest assured that Verisk will provide them with the services and tools they need to remain competitive.


Robert “Butch” Cobb
National Director, Community Hazard Mitigation
Deputy Chief, Jersey City, N.J. (Retired)


William M. Raichle
President, Verisk Insurance Solutions – Commercial Property

You Make the Call

August 6, 2013

You face challenging fires all the time. You’ve received training to assess different types of fires and determine the best firefighting approach.

Revising and Improving PPC: Community Risk Reduction

July 9, 2013

In our last newsletter, we announced the filing of our revised Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS), with changes effective for community grading surveys initiated on or after July 1, 2013.

Six Millionth Fire Hydrant Recorded in the United States — ISO Determines 10 Percent of Water Supplies Insufficient

July 8, 2013

ISO, which maintains the only national fire hydrant database in the United States, has identified and recorded the six millionth fire hydrant in the country.

ISO Brings Together Fire Service Leaders and Insurers at The Congressional Fire Services Institute’s Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner

July 7, 2013

On May 8–9, 2013, the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) hosted the 25th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars in Washington, D.C.

Establishing and enforcing stronger building codes

July 6, 2013

Attendees of BuildStrong’s National Thought Leaders Forum on Building Codes were surveyed on what they believe best describes why the costs of damage from natural disasters continue to rise every year.

National Fire Operations Reporting System Stakeholder Meeting

July 5, 2013

Butch Cobb, national director of ISO’s Community Hazard Mitigation Programs, and Bob Glunt, PPC technical coordinator, Risk Engineering, attended a stakeholder meeting on March 19 and 20 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. for the National Fire Operations Reporting System.

Commercial Property Roundtable: Emerging Issues

July 4, 2013

Verisk Commercial Property held its first-ever Commercial Property Roundtable in Orlando, Florida, in April.

Hugh Gibson, Manager, ISO Community Hazard Mitigation

July 3, 2013

Skip Gibson at his swearing-in ceremony for the Cherry Hill Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners, with Cherry Hill Township Councilman Jim Bannar, a fellow retired firefighter.

Insurers' Report

July 2, 2013

In the Insurers’ Report column, we’ll be discussing some common questions we get from insurers.

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If you have questions or would like to suggest a topic, call us at 1-800-444-4554, option 2.

ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule

Our Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) is free to chiefs and other fire officials. It's a manual containing the criteria Verisk uses in reviewing the fire prevention and fire suppression capabilities of individual communities or fire protection areas. To recieve a copy of the FSRS, contact our National Processing Center at 1-800-444-4554 and select Option 2.

H2O and Verisk

Water supply and distribution systems are important factors in determining a community’s ISO Public Protection Classification (PPC®). We provide complimentary educational training and seminars to water providers and associations throughout the country. Contact Hugh Gibson, national water resources manager, at hugh.gibson@verisk.com for more information.

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