The Anatomy of a Fire Rating

Presented by: Blaine W. Rabe’ Division Manager for the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana

Have an Organized Department with defined boundaries recognized by the AHJ and one person responsible for operations. Also be organized on a permanent basis under applicable state or local laws.

Must have at least 4 firefighters responding to working fires Minimum training of at least 2 hours every 2 months. Have a method for alarm notification and no delay in

receipt of this alarm. One piece of apparatus meeting N.F.P.A.1901 Standard. The apparatus shall be housed to provide protection from

the weather.

Minimum Criteria to Apply the FSRS

Communications (10 Points)

Fire Department (50 Points)

Water Supply (40 Points)

Components of the FSRS

Commercial & Residential Property must be within 7 road miles of a recognized fire station considered in that graded areas fire rating to get the fire rating of the graded area they are in. If over mileage, Class 10 rates apply.

Commercial Property must have a standard fire hydrant within 1,000 feet as hose can be laid from the engine. If a area is receiving Water Hauling Credit, this requirement is waived.

Insurability

PIAL will conduct community evaluation of a fire department on a 5-year cycle.

If the class rating changed 2 or more classes, we will re-evaluate this area in 2 to 3 more years to assure the level of fire protection.

Each year PIAL will conduct a minimum of 4 “random” evaluations among all fire departments in the state.

Frequency of Fire Ratings

Specific and Class Rated Properties have a Needed Fire Flow of 3,500 G.P.M. or less as determined in this calculation.

Individual Rated Properties have a Needed Fire Flow of 4,000 G.P.M. or larger and may receive a poorer fire rating based on it’s on merits.

Fire Flow Requirements

This section is designed to evaluate the capability of the communications center.

NFPA 1221 Standard should be your reference standard for the communications center.

Three sections reviewed◦ Facilities to report alarms◦ Operators on duty at the communications center◦ Facilities to dispatch fire companies to alarms

Communications

Operators

◦ Number of Operators on Duty-Performing Communications procedures.

◦ NFPA 1221 Standard

◦ Performance Based Practices

◦ Call Volume Matrix

Dispatchers

Dispatch Circuits

◦ Evaluation of Dispatch Circuits

Notification

Radio Traffic Recorded

Receiving Notification

Emergency Power

Dispatching Equipment

The Fire Department Section of the FSRS deals with the operations of the Fire Department, including:

◦ Apparatus and Equipment Existing and Reserve Apparatus

◦ Pump Capacity Total amount of G.P.M. of all Engine Companies

◦ Fire Station Locations Engine Companies = 1 ½ Road Mile Coverage and Ladder/Service

Companies = 2 ½ Road Mile Coverage and if additional Engines and Ladder/Service Companies are needed and where.

◦ Manpower On-Duty at the Fire Station and volunteer/off duty response for

firefighting.◦ Training

Fire Suppression training conducted by the department.

Fire Department

Engine Company Credit is considered as carried equipment and the use of the carried equipment.

The point value per engine is based upon the Needed Engine Companies against Existing Engine Companies Ratio.

Credit for Engine Companies

One reserve engine is needed for up to 8 existing engine companies in the graded area.

You can actually get credit in this section without having a Reserve Engine if you have at least 2 Existing Engine Companies.

You can share a Reserve Engine Company between 2 graded areas. Requirements must be met and a written service agreement.

Reserve Engine Credit

This is based on the Basic Fire Flow

◦ Maximum pump capacity for any graded area is 3,500 G.P.M.

◦ Apparatus Included Existing Engine Companies Reserve Engine Companies Pumps on other apparatus (Ladder Companies, etc.)

◦ Percentage of credit for each can be limited to a minimum of 50% based on type and annual pump test data.

Pump Capacity

Needed Ladder/Service Companies are established by the greater of 2 methods.◦ Distribution◦ Needed Fire Flow/building Height

All districts need at least 1 Service Company as a minimum.

Is a Ladder Company Needed? And how many?◦ Any combination of 5 or more buildings with a NFF of

4,000 GPM, or 35’ in height to the eaves (3-story)◦ Height = Minimum is 50’ and Maximum is 100’

Needed Ladder/Service Companies

One reserve is needed for up to every 8 existing service or ladder companies in the graded area.

You can actually get credit in this section without having a Reserve Service/Ladder if you have 2 Existing Service/Ladder Companies

You can share a Reserve Service/Ladder Company between two graded areas. Additional info. Is needed to allocated proper credit.

Reserve Ladder/Service Companies

Apparatus – Apparatus Usage◦ Proper Apparatus for each response

Structural Alarms and or Fires

◦ Documentation of Proper Apparatus Dispatch Arrival / Cancellation

◦ Documentation of Response Disposition Personnel to Apparatus Connection Narrative Explanation

Documentation

This is based on how much if the graded area is covered within 1 ½ road miles for engines and 2 ½ road miles for ladder/service.◦ Percentage of Coverage is calculated by

Hydrants Total Road Miles

The number of existing companies at their full equipment value is used as the denominator in this formula.

60% of the credit is Engine, 40% is Ladder/Service

Distribution of Companies

There is no maximum limit to these points

For 15 points, the graded area must have on each apparatus the numbers below◦ Engine = 6 firefighters (24/7)◦ Ladder = 6 firefighters (24/7)◦ Service = 3 firefighters (24/7)

On-Duty credit is 1 for 1 (Averaged over a 12 month period)

Volunteer credit is 3 for 1 (Avg. over up to 20 working fires)

Credit can be increased to 6 for 1 due to inadequate record keeping.

Personnel

Rosters should include –◦ Names◦ Ranks (Positions)◦ Length of Time◦ Special Comments◦ Remember Grading Criteria – FF/DR/NDR/OFF/Rookie

Roster Management should be continuous

PersonnelRosters are the Documentation used to review personnel

Training is divided into 2 sections by the Rating. Points have to be awarded in both sections. Training is one of the most confusing area.

Category A & B

THEY ARE SEPARATE!

Training

Category A – Training Facilities & Use

◦ Training Facilities = 35 Total Points

◦ Drills (Training Use)

14 Total Drills per Year

Multi-Company Drill 40% Single Company Drill 40% Night Drill 20%

Training

Drills are counted – 1 drill = 3 hour classroom or outdoor fire suppression training session.

Eight drills can count for the full 14 if the appropriate type of drill was conducted.◦ Single Drills counts as a Single Drill◦ Multi counts as a Single and Multi Company Drill◦ Single-Night counts as a Single and Night Drill◦ Multi-Night counts as a Single, Multi and Night Drill.

Drills

Drill Tower 8 Points◦ 2 to 4 Stories Needed (based on area)

No Bldgs. more than 3 stories (2 Story) 1 to 4 Bldgs that are 3 stories (3 story) Ladder Company Required (4 story)

Fire Building 8 Points◦ Constructed to NFPA 1402 Standards

Flammable Liquid Pit 5 Points◦ Video is acceptable where a Federal, State or Local

Ordinance deems you cannot burn.

Training Facilities

Training Area (10 Points)◦ 2 Acres suitable paved training area for Drills and Driver

Training.

Parking Lots, Streets, Etc. (10 Points)◦ If the department does not have a Training Facility, but

has utilized these items for drills, this item will be credited.

Training Facilities

Training Library (2 Points)◦ Fire Protection Handbook◦ IFSTA Manuals◦ Fire Chief’s Handbook◦ Managing Fire Service

Slide & Movie Projectors / Props (2 Points)◦ Slide/Movie/PowerPoint Projectors◦ Hydrant Cut-A-Way◦ Pump Cut-A-Way

Training Facilities

Company Training (25 Points)◦ 20 hours per member per month◦ Daily/Monthly Training @ Fire Station Fire Suppression

Related

Officer Training (15 Points)◦ 4-3 hours classes (12 hours per officer per year)◦ Must be Leadership related (Reference NFPA 1021

Standard)

Driver Training (2 Points)◦ 12 hours per driver per year◦ Driving fire/ladder truck and pump training

Category B Training

New Driver Training (2 Points)◦ 40 hours per new driver◦ Must be specific to all new driver/operators

Radiological Monitoring (1 Point)◦ 3 hours per member per year

Recruit Training (5 Points)◦ 240 hours for new members

Pre-Fire Planning (15 Points)◦ All commercial bldgs must be pre-planned in accordance

with NFPA 1620 Standard.

Category B Training

Total number of IFSAC Certifications for the grading year and prior 2 years.◦ Limited to 1 per member

A maximum of 3 points can be awarded.

This “Bonus Credit” exists within the 9 total points to be allocated for training.

Training Bonus

Supply Works – Capacity of Total System◦ Maximum Daily Consumption◦ Tower Capacities◦ Pumping Capacities

Fire Flows – Capacity of Water Mains◦ Standard Hydrant Flows

Distribution of Hydrants – availability◦ 250 G.P.M. up to 1,000 G.P.M.◦ LDH Requirements

Water Supply

Calculating Maximum Daily Consumption-The Rating Process includes the exclusion of “Normal Use” water from your water system to determine water available for “Fire Fighting”◦ Max. Daily Consumption – Max. total amount during any

24 hour period in a 3 year period.◦ Estimated Calculation – Average Daily Consumption

multiplied ay 150%.◦ American Water Works Association – Manual is reference

for water supply section of the evaluation.

Supply Works

Once the Max. Daily Consumption is removed from the available water supply, the remaining water is calculated to a G.P.M. figure to determine fire flow duration periods.

◦ Duration Periods of sustained supply: Up to 2,500 G.P.M. = 2 Hours 3,000 G.P.M. to 3,500 G.P.M. = 3 Hours 4,000 G.P.M. and greater = 4 Hours

Water Supply

This is the total picture – each location is compared and the lesser amount is credited.

The Criteria are:◦ Needed Fire Flow◦ Water Supply◦ Fire Flow◦ Hydrant Distribution◦ Capacity of Water Hauled

Total Water Score

Summary of Credits

◦ Communications 10 Points Max.◦ Fire Department 50 Points Max.◦ Water Supply 40 Points Max.

◦ Divergence (-) ______________

◦ Total Credit 100 Points (Max.)

Total Calculations

Total Points are converted to a Rating Class:◦ 100 – 90.00 Points = Class 1◦ 89.99 – 80.00 Points = Class 2◦ 79.99 – 70.00 Points = Class 3◦ 69.99 – 60.00 Points = Class 4◦ 59.99 – 50.00 Points = Class 5◦ 40.00 – 49.99 Points = Class 6◦ 39.99 – 30.00 Points = Class 7◦ 29.99 – 20.00 Points = Class 8◦ 19.99 – 10.00 Points = Class 9◦ 9.99 – 0 Points = Class 10

Public Protection Classes