The Hampton Division of Fire & Rescue is among just five of the 765 fire departments in the state to receive a top rating for its fire protection capabilities.
The department received a Class-1 rating from the Insurance Services Office as a result of a recent voluntary external review, spokesman Battalion Chief Anthony Chittum announced in a news release.
The new rating may qualify homeowners and businesses for lower insurance premiums as it’s one of the factors insurance companies consider when setting rates.
Previously, the department was rated a Class 4 when it completed its last review in the mid-1980s, Chittum said. The new rating will go into effect April1, he said.
The performance-based evaluation uses a rating scale of1to10 to examine every detail within emergency communications, overall fire department performance, community water supply and community risk reduction, fire officials said.
“This rating is the product of many dedicated men and women creating and delivering service improvements to the community,” Fire Chief David Layman said in the release. “This team effort wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the division members and city officials.”
The agency reviewed more than 48,000 fire departments across the country,andonly148havereceivedtheClass-1 rating, according to Chittum.
The Newport News, Fairfax, Charlottesville and Henrico County departments also have a Class-1rating, Chittum said.