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Heartland Fire Rescue highlights ISO Class 1 rating, fleet shortages and CPR outcomes
Summary
Heartland Fire Rescue told the council it retained an ISO Class 1 rating, completed an evacuation plan for a high‑fire area, and recorded 4,671 calls in Lemon Grove in 2025 (about 80% medical); chiefs warned of long lead times (44–48 months) to replace fire engines.
Heartland Fire Rescue presented its 2025 annual report to the Lemon Grove City Council on March 3, highlighting an ISO Class 1 recertification, adoption of updated fire‑hazard zone maps, and completion of an evacuation plan for a high‑fire‑severity area.
Chief Ben Cohen said the department achieved ISO Class 1 status — an accreditation that ranks it among the top ~1.5 percent of U.S. fire organizations — and stressed the operational benefits for response planning and potential insurance savings. Deputy Chief John Evans reviewed response and training metrics, noting a goal of two‑minute turnout time 90 percent of the time and a five‑minute travel target to emergencies.
Evans reported that Lemon Grove firefighters responded to 4,671 calls in 2025, roughly 80 percent of which were medical calls. The department recorded 26 cardiac arrests with a return of spontaneous circulation in eight cases (about 30 percent), an improvement from the prior year. Fire staff also warned that replacing aging fire apparatus requires multiyear lead times; ordering a new engine today could take 44 to 48 months to arrive.
The council thanked staff and asked follow‑up questions about grants, staffing, and automatic aid from neighboring jurisdictions. Chief Cohen said the department secured about $95,000 in grant funding in 2025 and is pursuing options to maintain resilience while fleet procurement timelines remain lengthy.
Why it matters: The ISO rating, operational metrics, and fleet constraints inform the council's public‑safety planning and budget decisions, especially given Lemon Grove's reliance on automatic aid for major incidents.
