HAVANA, Fla. (WTXL) — Havana’s volunteer fire department is celebrating a major milestone after improving its ISO rating from the lowest possible score to a 6/6X — a change firefighters say was made possible entirely through community support.
- The department raised its ISO rating from a 10 to a 6/6X through upgraded equipment, training, and meeting strict safety standards.
- Firefighters say the fully volunteer station relied on community fundraising and donations to reach this goal.
- Watch the video below to see how neighbors helped make this achievement possible
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors in Havana are celebrating a major milestone for their town’s volunteer fire department. I’m Tatyana Purifoy, your Havana neighborhood reporter, where firefighters say a better insurance rating isn’t just a win for them… it’s a win made possible by the people who stepped up to support their station.
The town of Havana’s volunteer fire department is filled with joy after improving its ISO rating from a 10, the lowest possible score, to a 6/6X. An ISO rating measures how well a fire department can protect homes and businesses… and a lower number means better fire protection and lower insurance costs for residents.
And to earn that improved rating, departments must meet strict standards by keeping equipment up to date, logging regular training hours, showing strong communication systems, and proving they can get water to a fire quickly.
Don Harrison, the fire chief for Havana Volunteer Fire Department, said, “We started this process two years ago… and it was a process we started of realizing the equipment we did not have to meet up to the ISO standards. This community has supported this fire department — it’s just amazing. I can't begin to say how amazing it is. They support with their thoughts, prayer, financially.”
The department says this jump didn’t come easy. They remind the community that this is a fully volunteer station — and every bit of training, equipment, and upgrades was made possible through local support and fundraising.
Edna Hall, the fundraiser organizer, said, “It affected all of us. It was community in crisis, community in need, and community to solve the problem. And once we shared that there was such an outpouring that within those two-hour meetings we raised over $40,000.”
The chief says that without community donations and turnout at local fundraisers… this improvement wouldn't have been possible.
He hopes the new rating will not only lower insurance rates for neighbors, but also show just how much can be achieved when a town supports its volunteer first responders.
The department says this is only the beginning, and with continued community support, they hope to bring that rating even lower. In Havana, Tatyana Purifoy, ABC 27.
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