Fire Hydrants

Fire hydrants are a main component of active fire protection for our community, serving up a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a consistent water supply. The hydrants are for fire suppression or emergency use only and are not intended for use by the public for filling tanks, washouts, parking lot cleaning, etc. They are color coded to determine pressures and flows to allow quick identification for fire crews. While most water utility companies charge a separate fee for fire protection service, Jackson Energy Authority views it as a value-added component thereby absorbing the costs.

What you may not realize is that the hydrants and the water system are determining factors of Fire Department Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings. The ISO collects relevant data from municipal fire departments and assigns them with a Public Protection Classification (PPC) grading from 1-10. Class 1 represents superior fire protection while Class 10 represents fire protection that does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria. Most insurers of homes and business properties use the ISO’s PPC when calculating premiums. The better the protection class rating, the lower the fire insurance rates will be for homeowners and business owners in the community.

Jackson’s fire protection system is rated Class 3 – a high rating that’s difficult to achieve. It determines that the Jackson Fire Department and Jackson Energy Authority are providing first-class fire protection to our community.