Sedalia Achieves PPC 2 Fire Protection Grade: A Win for Community Safety
Significant Milestone Reflects Sedalia’s Commitment to Public Safety and Robust Firefighting Capabilities
The City of Sedalia recently completed the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification (PPC) survey, which analyzes structural fire suppression delivery systems. Sedalia has been awarded an impressive PPC 2 grade that is effective in October 2024. This remarkable achievement puts Sedalia among the top for fire safety.
ISO is an independent company that serves insurance companies, communities, fire departments, insurance regulators, and others by providing information about risk. Its PPC program rates fire protection on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the highest protection level. A community’s PPC grade depends on emergency communications, the fire department, and the water supply. A PPC 2 grade signifies that Sedalia has outstanding firefighting abilities, strong infrastructure, and effective emergency response plans.
“Receiving a PPC 2 grade is a tremendous achievement for Sedalia,” said Mayor Andrew Dawson. “I congratulate our exceptional fire department for their hard work and dedication to our community’s safety. This accomplishment highlights Sedalia’s commitment to prioritizing the highest standards in fire protection, ensuring our residents and businesses are well-protected. We are proud of this achievement and will continue to prioritize safety and excellence in all areas of community service.”
A community’s investment in fire safety is a reliable predictor of reduced fire losses. Data shows that better fire protection, as rated by ISO’s PPC program, leads to fewer fire-related insurance claims. Most insurance companies use PPC classifications for underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial and industrial properties. Generally, communities with good PPC grades enjoy lower fire insurance costs compared to those with poor grades.
The ISO assesses and categorizes over 39,000 fire protection areas nationwide. In 2023, only 498 communities achieved a PPC 1 classification, and only 2,004 achieved PPC 2. The top two classifications represent just 7% of overall communities surveyed. The PPC 2 classification shows that Sedalia is serious about fire safety and is well-prepared to handle emergencies.
“Achieving the PPC 2 grade was a real team effort,” said Fire Chief Matthew Irwin. “Our fire department, dispatch center, and water supply team worked closely together through countless hours of coordination and evaluation. This process truly showcased our dedication to meeting the highest standards in fire protection for our area.”
The Sedalia Fire Department remains dedicated to its mission of protecting residents, businesses, and visitors to Sedalia through fire suppression, resuce operations, emergency medical response, and more. Achieving a PPC 2 classification is an impressive accomplishment, reflecting the department’s dedication to effective fire protection and community safety.
About Sedalia
Founded in 1860 as a railroad town, Sedalia is a community rich in history. However, just as the rail system has evolved, so has Sedalia. Sedalia has always been at the center of things. Highways 50 & 65 cross paths here, making Sedalia the retail and manufacturing hub for five counties. Sedalia is growing. Our residents are warm, welcoming, and hard working. Crossing paths and making connections are still important today and lay the foundation for the future of Sedalia.
About the Sedalia Fire Department
The Sedalia Fire Department (SFD) responds to structure fires, natural cover fires, vehicular accidents, technical rescues, emergency medical events and any other emergency events that happen within the city of Sedalia, as well as provides mutual aid to other fire departments when requested. SFD operates two engines, one areal platform, one squad unit, one brush truck, two reserve engines and one reserve areal ladder, as well as various support vehicles. In addition to fire suppression and rescue services, SFD offers fire safety education, monitors city fire safety codes, and conducts fire cause investigations. After all, the best fire protection any city can provide is preventing the fire in the first place.
SFD serves Sedalia’s 20,430 residents and can provide mutual aid to 19,691 Pettis County residents. SFD also protects the Missouri State Fairgrounds, a 150-acre site within Sedalia that hosts nearly 400,000 annual visitors and multiple year-round events.