ISO stands for "Insurance Services Office." ISO rates municipalities with their capacity to handle a fire, and to minimize its damage to property.
What This Means for You
Every 15 years, ISO rates geographical areas based on their fire risk using a score from 1 through 10, 1 being the best rating. This score assesses four categories to determine this risk: the fire department, the water supply system, the 911 communications capabilities, and the community's resiliency.
Fire
insurance companies use this information to statistically determine the amount of damage a fire will do before being brought under control, and in turn the premiums that their customers pay.
You can learn more about how the score is calculated on the ISO website.
Benefits
The citizens of Fairmont benefit from an ISO rating of 2. This means fire insurance premiums for properties in the city limits are considerably less costly than in areas with higher ISO ratings such as rural fire protection districts.