Pensacola Fire Department Highlights New Training Simulator, Elevated ISO Rating

Pensacola Fire Department demonstrated a new Maritime Fire Training Simulator at Fire Station 4 during Mayor Grover Robinson's weekly press conference today, Monday, March 28. This is the only maritime live fire trainer in the region, and it will be used for a variety of firefighter trainings for both Pensacola Fire Department and other fire departments throughout the area.

Mayor Robinson and Pensacola Fire Chief Ginny Cranor also highlighted PFD's ISO rating moving up to an ISO Class 1, which is the highest score in a 1-10 range. Less than 1% of the 40,000 fire departments in the United States have an ISO Class 1 rating. An ISO fire rating is a score provided to fire departments and insurance companies by the Insurance Services Office. The score reflects how prepared a community or area is for fires.

"I am incredibly proud of the work that Chief Cranor and her team at Pensacola Fire Department do every day to serve our citizens," Mayor Robinson said. "This new training simulator, combined with PFD's elevated ISO rating, demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest level of public safety for Pensacola residents. PFD is always working to train and prepare for any scenario, and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated team of first responders in the City of Pensacola."

The Maritime Fire Training Simulator was primarily funded through a Port Security Grant acquired by the Port of Pensacola, and it is designed to teach boat fire suppression techniques. The simulator can also be used for rope training, ladder training and structural fire suppression.

"I'd like to thank the team at the Port of Pensacola who secured the grant to make this new simulator possible, along with everyone at PFD who gathered the data needed to achieve our new ISO rating," Chief Cranor said. "The simulator will be an amazing asset not only for PFD, but for our entire region, and it will help us continue to improve our firefighting skills in a variety of scenarios. I am also proud to achieve the highest possible ISO rating, which has the potential to benefit our residents through the possible reduction of property insurance costs. Both of these achievements were truly team efforts by everyone involved, and I am grateful to have such a strong team here at the City of Pensacola."

Additional facts about the Maritime Fire Training Simulator:

Features three fire simulators and a smoke generator: Galley fire, engine fire with flashover, and bilge fire.
Comprised of three shipping containers arranged in a three-story configuration similar to a tugboat. Includes two styles of marine bulkhead doors.
Safety features include: rapid smoke/heat evacuation fan, three emergency stop buttons, gas detection shut-down, extinguished pilot light shut-down, wired controller shut-offs, and remote control shut-offs
Uses propane gas for fire simulation, which is a cleaner burn compared to Class A simulators
Interior temperatures of over 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Additional facts about the ISO rating:

PFD elevated from an ISO Class 2 to an ISO Class 1 (PPC - Public Protection Classification).
Class 1 is the highest score in a 1-10 range and is held by less than 1% of fire departments in the United States.
PFD's new ISO rating will go into effect June 1, 2022.
Each insurance provider underwrites risk factors using an algorithm, considering risks like fire, wind, flood, earthquake, tornadoes, and more.
The ISO score reflects the fire rating for Pensacola as a whole and is not property specific.
The ISO rating can affect insurance premiums (higher PPC rating = greater risk).
A strong ISO score suggests to insurance providers that the likelihood of being destroyed by fire is lower than if you lived somewhere with a poor ISO score.
A strong ISO score could possibly reduce property insurance costs compared with a community that does not achieve a strong ISO score.
ISO measures several data points, including:
- Communications (Infrastructure & Dispatch Process) – PFD and IT
- Water Supply (ECUA and PFD. Hydrants: number and types; inspection and testing)
- PFD (apparatus, training, stations, Community Risk Reduction activities, staffing and response times)

To learn more about Pensacola Fire Department, visit the City of Pensacola website.

Mayor Robinson speaks at weekly press conference at Pensacola Fire Department

Mayor Robinson and Fire Chief Ginny Cranor shake hands at Pensacola Fire Department

Mayor Robinson and Fire Chief Ginny Cranor speak at Pensacola Fire Department

Pensacola firefighters demonstrate the new maritime training simulator at Fire Station 4

For more information or general questions, email pio@cityofpensacola.com. To stay informed about what's happening with City of Pensacola government, sign up for email or text notifications through Notify Me or follow @CityofPensacola on social media.