August 29, 2022
Travis County Emergency Services District No. 9 (ESD 9), also known as the Westlake Fire Department, is pleased to announce that the Emergency Services District has been awarded an improved ISO Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating of a Class 2 in the Cities of Rollingwood and West Lake Hills and will continue to maintain a Class 3 rating in the unincorporated areas of the District with fire hydrants. The cities previously held a Class 3 rating. The new ratings are scheduled to be effective on September 1, 2022.
A Class 1 rating represents an exemplary fire suppression program, and a Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire suppression program does not meet minimum criteria. The PPC ratings are obtained after an in-depth evaluation of the fire protection efforts in the community. The assessment process includes an evaluation of:
- Fire Department (staffing level, training, emergency response)
- Community Risk Reduction (code enforcement, fire investigations, community education and outreach)
- Fire Dispatch (handling of 911 calls and dispatch of resources)
- Water Supply Systems (fire water supply in all areas of the District).
A review of the fire dispatch center accounts for 10% of the total classification, the fire department accounts for 50% of the total classification, and a review of the water supply systems in the District account for the remaining 40%.
The Insurance Service Office, Inc. highlights the benefits of the classification system on their website stating, “The Public Protection Classification (PPC®) program recognizes the efforts of communities to provide fire protection services for citizens and property owners. A community’s investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predicator of future fire losses. Insurance companies use PPC information to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance — generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection. By offering economic benefits for communities that invest in their firefighting services, the program provides an additional incentive for improving and maintaining public fire protection.”
“The Westlake Fire Department is proud of the PPC rating issued after the review of the fire department. The ratings reflect the efforts of the department to improve service to the community as we continue to strive to exceed their expectations.” said Fire Chief David Wilson.
Carla Orts, General Manager of Water District 10 stated, “The efforts of the Water District to provide and maintain fire hydrants that support fire protection services provided by ESD 9 to residents, businesses, and property owners of the District is one of the core missions of Water District 10. Our partnership with ESD 9 in providing services to the community is strong and we continue to collaborate to ensure an adequate water supply is available for mitigation efforts, when needed.”
City Administrator of West Lake Hills, Trey Fletcher further added that “The City of West Lake Hills values our collaborative relationships with the ESD and Water District 10 toward sustaining the city’s quality of life and public safety and is proud of the improved rating for the community.”
City Administrator of Rollingwood, Ashley Wayman added, “The partnership we maintain with the Westlake Fire Department to provide services to the City of Rollingwood is something our city is proud of. We are excited about the improved rating and feel it demonstrates the efforts the city and fire department have successfully undertaken to continue to provide a safe community for our citizens.”
With the updated ratings, the Westlake Fire Department joins 322 other fire departments in the State of Texas that have achieved a PPC Class 2 rating. “This classification could not be possible without the support of the Commissioners of the ESD, the daily efforts of our firefighters, staff and community risk reduction team, and the continued support of the community of the Westlake area,” said Chief Wilson.
