ISO Rating

What is ISO?

ISO stands for Insurance Services Office and is not affiliated with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), i.e., the accreditation process. ISO is an independent organization that serves insurance companies, fire departments, insurance regulators, and others by providing information about risk. ISO's expert staff collects information about municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes the relevant data and assigns a Public Protection Classification (PPC)--a number from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents exemplary fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area's fire-suppression program does not meet ISO's minimum criteria.

How is the Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating determined?

The PPC rating is determined by using ISO's Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). The FSRS lists a large number of items (facilities and practices) that a community should have to fight fires effectively. The schedule is performance based and assigns credit points for each item. Using the credit points and various formulas, ISO calculates a total score on a scale of 0 to 105.5. The FSRS considers three main areas of a community's fire suppression system: emergency communications, fire department (including operational considerations), and water supply. In addition, it includes a Community Risk Reduction section that recognizes community efforts to reduce losses through fire prevention, public fire safety education, and fire investigation.

What PPC rating does Culver City currently hold?

The City was last assessed by ISO in 2023 and received a rating of Class 1. Out of over 38,000 agencies surveyed in the United States, only 498 hold a Class 1 rating. Just 45 agencies in the State of California are rated Class 1. Culver City has maintained the Class 1 rating since 1995.