Portland Fire & Rescue has been notified by the Insurance Service Office (ISO) that the fire protection rating for PF&R will remain at Class 2.

Insurance companies use ISO fire protection ratings to determine home owner and business insurance premiums. ISO evaluates fire department equipment, staffing, station locations, training, fire prevention efforts, the community water system, 9-1-1 systems and many other factors to assign a protection rating. The Insurance Service Office has been evaluating and assigning ratings to fire departments since 1971.

"Despite reductions in staffing due to budget cuts, we're very pleased that we've managed to receive a score of 81.29 and retain a Class 2 ISO rating, which plays a part in reducing everyone's cost of living in Portland. Whether or not you pay property insurance directly, Portland's strong ISO rating helps to keep premiums low, and these costs affect everyone," said Fire Chief Erin Janssens.

ISO scores range from 1.00 to 100.00. PF&R needed a minimum total score of 80.00 to remain a Class 2 rated city. PF&R would need a score of 90.00 to receive a Class 1 rating, which would lower property insurance rates by an additional 5-8% (depending on construction and occupancy, according to ISO). For the property owner paying $700 a year, this equates to a reduction of $35-$56. Multiplied by Portland's approximately 220,000 structures, Portland's Class 2 rating translates into a current savings ranging from $7.7 to over $12.3 million dollars. Conversely, if Portland slipped to a Class 3 rating, people would see an equivalent increase.