During Tuesday’s meeting of the Brownwood City Council, Brownwood Fire Chief Eric Hicks revealed the Brownwood Fire Department recently received an ISO rating of 2.

The Insurance Services Office (ISO) regularly performs surveys of all communities and fire protection districts. The ISO rating is one of the primary elements used by the insurance industry to develop fire insurance premium rates for homes and businesses.

The scale is based on a relative scale of 1 through 10 (1 represents exemplary public fire protection, 10 indicates the public fire protection does not meet minimum standards). The lower the ISO rating is for the City means the amount of fire insurance you pay may be less.

In addition, the ISO rating provides a reflection of standards developed over many years from the study of pertinent fire protection conditions and performance standards.

The City of Brownwood will become an ISO Class 2 effective March 1, 2022.

The Brownwood Fire Department is one of only 1,789 fire departments nationwide to receive an ISO rating of 2. Within the state of Texas, only 322 of the over 2,844 fire departments have a Class 2 rating. ISO reviews over 39,200 fire departments across the country. This places the City of Brownwood into the top 7% of the country.

The previous ISO review was in 2008 and the City’s ISO rating was a 3.

The review of the Fire Department is 50% of the total grading and reflects the Fire Department’s response capabilities, equipment, and personnel.

The water system within the City accounts for 40% of the total grading and reflects the Water Department’s capabilities.

Telecommunications or Dispatch is reviewed and accounts for 10% of the total grading. ISO reviews the dispatch center, which must meet or exceed nationally accepted practices and procedures as they relate to the Fire Department.

In other council news, no action was taken regarding the Wiggins Pool. A proposed estimate to repair and refinish the pool came in at $164,128.43. The council opted to look at the cost of installing a new pool, and will revisit the issue at a future meeting.

Also, the council approved, contingent on not having to reimburse the state if the project costs more than $6,000, installing an Advanced Warning Signs on Coleman Avenue from 150 feet west of Comanche Street to 1,000 feet east of Comanche Street. This signage will warn drivers of that the curve ahead is dangerous and requires a slower speed.