DeKalb Fire Rescue Receives Improved Rating for Fire Protection and Suppression Capabilities

DeKalb Fire Rescue Receives Improved Rating for Fire Protection and Suppression Capabilities

TUCKER, Ga. – DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department has been awarded its highest rating in its 79-year history of providing organized fire suppression services to the residences and businesses in the county.

The department received an upgraded Class 2/2X rating—and an improvement over the previous Class 3 rating that the county received during its last review in 1989. This rating places DeKalb County in the top 3 percent of all fire protection areas in the United States.

“Our first responders in the DeKalb Fire Rescue Department work diligently to protect our county as evidenced by this rating improvement,” said DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May. “This rating shows that DeKalb is one of the safest counties in America in the area of fire suppression.”

This new rating is a result of a recent review of the county’s Public Protection Classification by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). 

“This rating by the ISO speaks to the hard work and dedication of the men and women of DeKalb County Fire Rescue and their commitment to remain in a constant state of improvement,” said DeKalb County Fire Rescue Chief Darnell Fullum. 

ISO ratings are based on four areas within the county: 
•    Fire suppression capabilities of DeKalb County Fire Rescue
•    Department of Watershed Managements water delivery system
•    DeKalb E911 network
•    Community risk reduction programs, including fire prevention, public safety education and fire investigations.

ISO currently rates more than 48,000 fire protection areas in the United States. Ratings under the ISO system range from 1, which indicates superior fire protection, down to 10. Many insurance companies use ISO ratings as a factor to determine homeowner and business fire insurance premiums.

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