The Lockwood Fire Department received notification from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) that the Lockwood Fire Department classification has been reduced from a 5/9 class to a 4/4Y classification. ISO is the organization that determines the response preparedness and water delivery capabilities for communities. This classification is then shared with insurance companies, so they can best determine the cost of home owner protection premiums. Typically the lower the classification, the lower the premium costs to home owner’s insurance policy.
The reason for the split rating has to do with the location of the structure in relation to fire service. The first number is for all the buildings inside a 5 mile radius of the Lockwood Fire Station, located at 501 Johnson Lane. The second number is for structures outside that location. The 4Y classification should result in a significant reduction for those insured properties since the number is being reduced by 5. Anyone with no fire protection such as the Sage Hills subdivision, is rated at a 10 and would pay the highest premium an insurance company offers.
Chief John Staley stated that this is the result of many hours of planning and preparation by Lockwood Fire members and the Lockwood Fire Board. He also acknowledged that the Lockwood water district can certainly share some of the credit for their progress in adding water lines and hydrants to the Lockwood community over the last 10 years.