How the PPC Program Works

The Public Protection Classification (PPC®) program provides important, up-to-date information about municipal fire protection services in each community we survey. ISO’s expert staff collects information about the quality of public fire protection in more than 39,000 fire protection areas across the United States.

Chief Thomas WeberBrad Bain
Vice President, ISO Community Hazard Mitigation

In each of those protection areas, ISO analyzes the relevant data and assigns a Public Protection Classification — a grading from 1 to 10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire suppression program does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria.

Most U.S. insurers of home and business properties use ISO’s PPC in calculating premiums. In general, the price of insurance in a community with a good PPC is lower than in a community with a poor PPC, assuming all other factors are equal.

A community’s PPC depends on:

  • emergency communications systems, including facilities for the public to report fires, staffing, training, certification of telecommunicators, and facilities for dispatching fire departments
  • the fire department, including equipment, staffing, training, and geographic deployment of fire companies
  • the water supply system, including the inspection and flow testing of hydrants and a careful evaluation of the amount of available water compared with the amount needed to suppress fires
  • community efforts to reduce the risk of fire, including fire prevention codes and enforcement, public fire safety education, and fire investigation programs

For more information on any topic related to the Public Protection Classification (PPC®) program or the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, Contact ISO Mitigation, or call the ISO mitigation specialists at 1-800-444-4554.