Upgraded fire rating reflects better training, could result in lower insurance premiums

The Luverne Fire Department was recently upgraded to a Class 3 rating by the Insurance Services Office (ISO).
Ratings are from 1 to 10, with 1 being the highest and 10 being the lowest. The LFD was rated Class 4 during its last review in 2017.
“Getting a Class 3 rating doesn’t sound like a big deal, but for a volunteer department that is dedicated to protecting the citizens and guests of our community, this is a pretty big deal,” said Luverne Assistant Fire Chief Jordan Siebenahler, who led the review for LFD. 
The ISO reviews departments every five to six years. A better rating for a department can mean reduced insurance rates for homeowners and businesses served by that department.
“To my knowledge, there are no Class 1 departments in the state of Minnesota. St Paul has the highest rating at a 2,” Siebenahler said. “So, for an on-call, volunteer department like Luverne to get a 3 is a big deal.”
The ISO’s Public Protection Classification program evaluates communities according to a uniform set of criteria. It incorporates nationally recognized standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association and the American Water Works Association. 
A community’s rating depends on scores received in areas such as emergency communications, fire staffing, equipment and training, and water supply, among many other criteria.
“We spend hours compiling all of the data that is required for their scoring,” Siebenahler said. 
LFD’s higher classification in 2023 is largely due to improved training, according to Siebenahler.
“The biggest thing that helped us jump from a Class 4 to a Class 3 was increased training and better documentation of that training,” Siebenahler said. “Without documentation, the training never happened in the eyes of the ISO.”
Luverne Fire Chief Dave Van Batavia said the new rating is a reflection of both the department and the community that supports it. 
“To me it shows how hard our guys work and how well the city supports us so we can have the things we need to get that Class 3 rating,” Van Batavia said. 
“Our guys put in extra time to make sure everything is in order to get that good number.” 
Looking to the future, Siebenahler said LFD plans to do more to maintain, or possibly improve, the ISO rating in five to six years. 
“There are three areas that can significantly improve our ISO rating: company personnel, a detailed training structure and the inspection and flow testing of fire hydrants.”
Chief Van Batavia said the benefits of this Class 3 rating for Luverne could be greater than people realize. 
“The rating should help residents and businesses, and hopefully new businesses, looking to come to Luverne for a good insurance rating.” 
Siebenahler agreed.
“We have incredible firefighters and the best equipment,” he said, “none of which would be possible without the backing of a great community.”