Melbourne Fire Department Earns ISO Class 1 Rating, Becomes First in Brevard to Reach Achievement

MFD is among top 1% of fire departments in the u.s.

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The Melbourne Fire Department is proud to announce that it has earned an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class 1 rating, placing it among the top 1% of fire departments in the nation and the top 10% of fire departments in the state of Florida.

It is the first fire department in Brevard County to receive a Class 1 rating.

During last night’s City Council meeting Michael Morash, Community Hazard Mitigation Manager for ISO, announced the new designation and presented a plaque recognizing the achievement.

“Of about 40,000 fire-protection areas that we evaluate, there are only 474 total in the country that receive the Class 1 rating,” Morash said. “There are only 47 in the state of Florida — Melbourne is one of those 47. It’s great for a community to have this distinguished award.”

Insurance Services Office determines the fire risk of communities by evaluating their telecommunications capabilities, the water distribution system and capacity, fire department operational response to structure fires, and community risk reduction and prevention programs.

Support from the Melbourne City Council, City Manager, Melbourne Police Department Communications Center, Public Works and Utilities, and the members of the Melbourne Fire Department all contributed to the achievement of this prestigious designation.

Fire departments are evaluated approximately every five years. The Melbourne Fire Department became a Class 2 fire department in 2011.

In 2016, the department significantly increased its score yet remained at Class 2. Since 2016, the department has implemented changes, including the addition of one new fire truck and the repositioning of staff and equipment, that have reduced response times to incidents citywide.

ISO’s most recent evaluation confirmed that the department’s ability to get to structure fires within recommended response times improved from 50% in 2016 to 90% in 2021.

The new Class 1 rating will become effective on November 1, 2022.

“It is our hope that by achieving the ISO Class 1 designation, City of Melbourne property owners will see a reduction in their residential and commercial insurance rates,” said Melbourne Fire Chief Chuck Bogle.

The ISO Public Protection Classification program recognizes the efforts of communities to provide fire protection services for citizens and property owners, noting that a community’s investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predictor of future fire losses.

Insurance companies use these ratings to help establish premiums for fire insurance — generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection.

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