Dubois County 911 and Fire Departments working hard for us

I am continually impressed by remarkable individuals who work every day to keep Dubois County a great place to live. The effort they put forth enhances the lives of us all and provides benefits in safety and savings to our pocketbooks. Today I recognize some of these individuals, particularly those who work for our fire departments, with our water systems, and with public safety communications. 

Recently, I was made aware of what I consider a big deal. Due to the efforts of communities, dispatch, and fire departments, the ISO rating for the county service area has improved. 

What is an ISO rating and why is it important? ISO stands for Insurance Services Office (ISO), an independent, for-profit organization. ISO scores our fire departments and systems on how they are doing against its organization’s standards. The primary benefit of an improved ISO rating is residents within the county may see a decrease in their home insurance premiums due to the reduced fire risk perceived by insurance companies; essentially, a higher ISO rating signifies better fire protection capacity. 

A base score of 100 points is developed with an individual fire department (equipment, training, personnel) counting for 50 points, water systems (hydrants, testing) are 40, and Dubois County (9-1-1) Communications Center is 10. 

Each fire department is surveyed and scored individually, with six being surveyed in 2024 and the other six will be in the Fall of 2025. Dubois County 9-1-1 handles emergency and non-emergency calls for public safety agencies throughout Dubois County and was a component of the surveying. Due to strong leadership, a well-trained staff, and quality facilities, their score improved to 9.25 out of a 10 score.

Collaborative efforts lead to improvements like this, show we are getting better, and from that, we all benefit. We can be proud of the quality of each community fire department, water supply, and emergency response capabilities. 

Chad Blessinger
Dubois County Commissioner                                                                                                                                           9-1-1 Advisory Board President