Submitted by The City of Olympia
The Olympia Fire Department was just notified by the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau (WSRB) that it’s insurance rating has been upgraded from a Class 3 to a Class 2. WSRB evaluates all Washington communities for their fire protection/suppression capability using a schedule approved by the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. WSRB assigns each community a Protection Class of 1 through 10, where 1 indicates exemplary fire protection capabilities, and 10 indicates the capabilities, if any, are insufficient for insurance credit.
Our business community will have an opportunity to reduce their fire insurance costs by an estimated 15% or more. The Class 2 rating makes Olympia more attractive to businesses that may wish to relocate because of lower costs of doing business.
During the grading process, the WSRB evaluated four major areas: Fire Department, water supply, emergency communications, and fire safety control (fire prevention, public education, and building code enforcement). The Fire Department was reviewed for distribution of fire stations, engine companies, ladder companies, pumping capacity, apparatus maintenance, department personnel and training. The water supply was reviewed for fire flow capabilities, hydrant locations, and system maintenance. The community’s 911 system is evaluated on its ability to receive and handle calls for emergency services. Lastly, the Fire Prevention Division and Building Inspection Services were evaluated for their abilities to inspect new construction and existing businesses in the City, as well as application of local codes and ordinances.
Olympia is one of only four fire departments statewide that have a Class 2 rating. Seattle, Bellevue, and Federal Way are the only other Class 2 rated communities. No one in the State of Washington has achieved a Class 1 rating.
