I hope this gradual entry into fall and the return to school for our children has been safe for you and your family.

September is “National Preparedness Month” and the theme is Disasters don’t plan ahead. You can. Make an emergency plan today. We have regularly visited this topic in previous issues and continue to underscore the importance of YOU making a plan for you and your family, TODAY. There are volumes of information available through simple internet searches and even easier if you visit our website, www.plainfieldfpd.com.

Within approximately 95% of the Plainfield Fire Protection District, we’ve been awarded a Class 1 in the Public Protection Classification by ISO. ISO stands for the Insurance Services Office. ISO is responsible for setting the Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating. ISO is a nationwide organization that ranks about 47,000 fire districts and departments nationwide on their overall ability to respond to fires. ISO’s rating system evaluates communities in four categories, fire department emergency communications, the water supply system, fire department operations and the fire department’s efforts at community risk reduction. Fire agencies (departments and districts) are ranked in classes from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best ranking. Currently there are 14 fire agencies in Illinois and 270 fire agencies nationwide who have achieved an ISO Class 1 rating.

We’re extremely proud to announce this significant achievement in the history of the Plainfield Fire Protection District. Clearly this would not have been possible without the vision and effort of so many of the men and women who built this foundation over many years, if not decades and for their service we sincerely thank them. We would like to thank three other major partners in this accomplishment. First is the Village of Plainfield water department who has a well-maintained, first-class distribution system that supports our suppression efforts. Additionally, WESCOM, our 9-1-1 dispatch center, provides a crucial component of our “grade” and without their professional support and skills we could not have been as successful. Finally we thank you, our homeowners and business community for without your financial support in providing and maintaining the necessary resources, we would not have been successful.

What does this mean for you, the business or homeowner? Effective November 1st, your insurance underwriter will be able to use this new Class 1 rating as part of their calculation in determining your fire insurance rates. We don’t set those rates; your insurance company does and about 2/3 of the national insurance companies use this rating in their calculations. This is a community rating, not just a fire department rating. A community’s investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predictor of preventing future fire losses. Our future mission remains clear; strengthening our current position and establishing priorities to address deficiencies found in the grading process. Our next grading period will be sometime in 2022.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for our annual Fire Prevention Week Open House which will be held on Saturday, September 30th from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at fire station 2 on 135th street, east of Rt. 59.

The other event is the Chat With The Chiefs, the last one for this year, on October 25th at 7 p.m. here at Plainfield Fire District Headquarters, next to station 2.

As always,

Be careful out there…

David S. Riddle, Chief