ESD 29 is a taxing entity that provides fire prevention and suppression services, emergency medical first response and rescue operations in the Spring area. For 2022, ESD 29 received a 1 Public Protection Classification rating, the maximum score possible, from ISO, according to ESD’s news release, released by Fire Chief Dan Shelor.
“ISO creates PPC ratings for communities to evaluate how well-equipped fire departments are to put out fires,” the news release states.
ESD 29’s prior rating was a 2 and a 6 for areas with and without fire hydrants, respectively. The district no longer receives dual ratings, Shelor confirmed Oct. 7.
A majority of the rating, 60%, is based off of the fire department’s score while the remaining portion, 40%, is based off of available water supply.
To improve the water supply available to fight fires in areas without fire hydrants, ESD 29 purchased a 3,000-gallon water tanker truck in 2017. The ESD also opened Fire Station No. 12 on Cutten Road in 2020.
ISO PPC ratings are given to insurance companies to set property insurance premiums. An ESD with a better PPC rating “makes your home or business less risky and therefore less expensive to insure,” the release states.
Not all insurance companies take ISO ratings into account, but ESD 29 recommends residents communicate this improvement in the district’s rating to their insurance companies.
Most of the ESD’s service area falls to the east of Hwy. 249, and between Stuebner Airline and Cutten Roads. For more information on the ESD, click here.
