(MURFREESBORO)  It took years of preparation and planning, and now Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department has the top ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating of 1/1X. 

Murfreesboro is one of only 388 fire departments of the moe than 50-thousand in the entire country to earn this top ranking. Here in the Volunteer State there are only seven.

Split Rating 1/1X

What does the split rating of Class 1/1X mean?  The first number represents the classification of properties within five miles of a fire station and within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant or creditable water source.  The second number (1X) applies to properties within five miles of a fire station but beyond 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant or creditable water source.

It is rare for a community to receive a perfect score of 105.5 points. To receive a Class 1 rating, the fire department must score 90 points or higher, However only .8 per cent of communities do so. About 53 per cent receive Class 5 or better.

The ISO develops a Public Protection Classification number on a scale from 1 to 10; with Class 1 being the very best fire protection.

Mayor and Fire Chief

Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland said, “This is a result of the dedication and hard work of our Fire Chief Mark Foulks and the entire staff.  As our city continues to grow, we are dedicated to making sure our residents, visitors, and business owners receive the best fire and emergency services possible.”

Chief Foulks noted, “The top rating is a testament of our priority as a department and city to make sure the best fire protection is available for all residents.  We are ecstatic that our high-level fire services could translate into savings on insurance premiums for our residents and businesses.”

ISO #1 is RARE

The ISO evaluates more than 50,000 fire departments across the country with less than 400 earning the Class 1 Rating.  Murfreesboro Fire Rescue  is one of only 388 departments in the entire nation and seven departments in Tennessee with the top rating.

Through the city’s community investment programs, MFRD recently opened Station 11 in the Blackman community and has plans to build stations that will serve the Buchanan/Joe B Jackson Parkway area, the Veterans Parkway/840 area, and the Cherry Lane/Leanna area in the future.

Foulks continued, “The City’s Mayor, Council, and administration are committed to providing excellent public safety services to our community.  The professionalism, commitment, and compassion of our MFRD personnel are unparalleled, we are one of the top fire rescue departments in the nation because of them.”

ISO Evaluation

The local department was assigned a split rating of Class 1/1X.  The first number represents the classification of properties within five miles of a fire station and within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant or creditable water source.  The second number (1X) applies to properties within five miles of a fire station but beyond 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant or creditable water source.

ISO evaluates fire departments using its Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS).  The FSRS evaluates categories of fire suppression, emergency communications, water supply, and community risk reduction. 

Effective Date

The new rating will take effect on October 1. Prior to earning the prestigious top position, in 2016 Murfreesboro had an ISO rating of 2--also rare.