What This ISO Letter Means for Our Community

ISO is a company that helps insurance companies understand how well communities are protected from fires. They look at things like fire stations, firefighters, equipment, water supply, and how fast help can arrive.

After reviewing our area, ISO gave the Row River Rural Fire Protection District a fire protection rating of:

What do those numbers mean?

ISO ratings go from 1 to 10:

  • 1 is the best fire protection
  • 10 means little or no nearby fire protection

An 8B rating means:

  • Homes and buildings within 5 road miles of a fire station have limited fire protection
  • This is better than a 9 or 10, but still considered high risk by insurance companies

A 10 rating means:

  • Homes and buildings more than 5 road miles from a fire station
  • Fire protection is very limited due to distance

Why does this matter?

  • Many insurance companies use ISO ratings when deciding insurance costs and coverage
  • Better fire protection can sometimes mean lower insurance rates
  • Poorer ratings can mean higher costs or fewer insurance options

Why did ISO give us this rating?

ISO’s rating reflects the fire protection resources we have right now, such as:

  • Distance to a fire station
  • Available equipment
  • Staffing levels
  • Water supply for firefighting
  • It does not mean firefighters are not doing their best. It means the infrastructure is limited, especially in a rural area.

How can this improve?

ISO ratings can improve when communities invest in things like:

  • Building a closer fire station
  • Improving water access for firefighting
  • Adding equipment and trained personnel

This is one of the reasons our community is working toward building a new fire station.

One important note

ISO ratings are not safety grades and not laws. They are tools used by insurance companies to estimate fire risk. If our fire protection improves, ISO can review and update the rating in the future.