Despite awarding a lower rating, an international ranking agency’s report says the City of Auburn’s fire division has improved since its last review in 2007. The ISO gave the fire division a 3 ranking on a 1 to 10 scale, one being the best fire protection.
The city had a 2 until 2007, when ISO reviewed the city at a 4, the first time in 20 years the city had been reviewed.
The ISO let the city keep the 2 ranking while they worked to improve, opening a new fire station and a training facility, among other things.
The city invited the ISO in the spring to see how they had improved. The dip from a 2 to a 3 won’t change residents’ insurance rates, city officials said.
Fire Chief Lee Lamar and Public Safety Director Bill James said they were pleased with the signs of improvement.
“It’s a work in progress,” Lamar said.
ISO suggested changes, including more equipment and improving record-keeping of training.
Some things aren’t easy to change. Although the fire division’s response times are excellent, the ISO doesn’t count response times — it counts miles from a station, Lamar said.
Lamar said his division would make the most cost-effective changes it could. He said he views the review as a guidance tool rather than a negative.
“We need to understand that this is a positive moment,” Lamar said. “We know where we are. We have a good evaluation of where we are… I think…it keeps the department focused on constantly improving and provide better service.”
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