The City of New Orleans recently received its first-ever Fire Protection Class 1 rating from the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL), a testament to the collaborative work being done by the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) with the Orleans Parish Communication District (OPCD) and the Sewerage and Water Board (SWBNO).
“I want to congratulate and thank the men and women of the New Orleans Fire Department for earning the City of New Orleans a Public Protection Classification of 1,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Potentially, this gives us the opportunity to push for lower insurance rates. This achievement is due to the hard work and commitment of our Fire Department, the Orleans Parish Communication District, and the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans.
We are looking at this through an equity lens, and appreciate how this classification improvement could help residents financially and in regards to their safety. Every day our public safety agencies and my administration are working to ensure that New Orleans is an accessible, equitable, safe and efficient place to live, and this rating shows that our efforts are improving the city for the better.”
The City was evaluated based on three areas of effectiveness:
1) Fire Department (50%) — Considers the number of pump and ladder/service units and equipment (plus reserve units), total pumping capacity, distribution of those units, number of personnel on duty, training, code enforcement, fire prevention and public education.
2) Water Distribution (40%) — Considers supply system and distribution, type and installation method of hydrants, and both hydrant flow testing and annual inspections.
3) Emergency Communications or 9-1-1 System (10%) — Considers phone service, operators handling calls, and dispatch circuits and facilities.
“I want to thank all of the men and women of the New Orleans Fire Department who have been working diligently for the last four years with considerable input and assistance from the PIAL to improve our operations, training, certifications, fire inspections and fire-hydrant flow testing and inspections in order to improve the City of New Orleans’ Public Protection Classification,” said NOFD Superintendent Tim McConnell. “Additionally, we have worked with the Sewerage and Water Board to improve its response to water system issues. Both the Sewerage and Water Board and Orleans Parish Communication District have made great strides to ensure the best possible outcome for this community rating.”
