NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) - The New Phila fire department’s latest evaluation could mean savings on insurance for residents. 

Fire Chief Jim Parrish says the city’s fire protection services got the second-highest rating possible in the Public Protection Classification Program from the Insurance Services Office. He says they are a Class 2 on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is the best.

“There’s about 88 Class 2’s in Ohio and there’s only about five Class 1’s so the effect that can have on the fire insurance for residents and businesses, the better the classification, the more chance that they have to discount the insurance,” he explains.

Parrish says many factors contributed to the department’s lower rating.

“Training of our firefighters is the best at that it’s ever been, our equipment. We’ve improved equipment. We’ve also built a new fire station which has training facilities built into it, so we gain points for that,” he says.

Parrish says upgrades to the 911 system and the water distribution system, including the addition of more fire hydrants, also contributed to the improved rating. He says his goal is to have a Class 1 before he retires.

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