NORWICH – Nearly 15 years have passed since the Norwich Fire Department was last evaluated for business and homeowners fire insurance purposes and since then, changes to the department could improve its existing insurance rating, thereby potentially decreasing the amount city residents pay for fire insurance.

The Insurance Services Offices (ISO) evaluates fire departments nationwide and assigns each department a Public Protection Classification on a scale of one to 10, with one being a superior rating and 10 not meeting ISO’s lowest standards. Insurance companies often refer to a municipality’s PPC as a factor to determine homeowners’ fire insurance rate.

According to the ISO website, criteria of a PPC is divided into three major areas. Fire alarm and communications systems account for 10 percent of the PPC; the fire department, its engine and ladder companies, personnel and response time accounts for 50 percent; the remaining 40 percent is determined by a community’s water supply systems.