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Botetourt Fire & EMS jumps ISO rating from Class 5 to Class 3 after a decade of upgrades
Summary
A multi‑department effort to improve hydrant testing, water supply, training, communications and apparatus documentation raised Botetourt County's ISO public protection classification from class 5 to class 3; staff say the new rating may reduce insurance costs for some property owners and takes effect July 1.
Botetourt County fire and emergency services announced a substantial improvement in its Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification, moving from a class 5 (with a "Y" distance modifier in the prior countywide rating) in 2015 to a class 3 after a comprehensive multi‑year effort.
Captain Collins, who led the ISO initiative, credited coordinated investments across departments: more consistent engine staffing, expanded and documented training programs, systematic hydrant inspection and flow testing, improvements to water lines and distribution, upgraded radio and 911 call‑processing systems, and rigorous equipment testing. "We jumped from a class 5 to a class 3," Collins told the board, calling the result "unprecedented" for a mostly rural, mixed career‑volunteer protection system and noting the county now ranks among the top 10% of rated protection districts nationwide.
ISO class is one input insurers use when underwriting property risk. County officials stressed there is no guaranteed percentage savings on premiums but encouraged property owners to contact their insurance agents after the new rating becomes effective July 1 to determine whether their particular policy will be affected.
Chief Ferguson and other staff said the rating reflects both recent capital and operational improvements and the county's ongoing record‑keeping and maintenance activity; the ISO process evaluated fire department staffing, equipment and training (about 50% of the score), water supply and hydrant performance (about 40%), and communications/dispatch (about 10%). Officials thanked volunteer and career personnel and water utility partners who supported testing and documentation efforts.
What residents should do: staff recommended that homeowners contact their insurance carriers after July 1 to see whether the new classification will affect premiums or underwriting decisions; licensing and documentation that drove the score must be sustained in subsequent years to keep the benefit.
Why it matters: a better ISO PPC can lower home and commercial property insurance costs for some properties and reflects systematic improvements in emergency response and water infrastructure across the county.
