Eustis Fire Department Achieves Impressive ISO Class 2 Rating
Published on August 05, 2025
The Eustis Fire Department is proud to announce a significant improvement in its Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating. The department’s ISO Class 2 rating strengthened by more than four points, reflecting continued efforts to enhance fire protection and emergency response services for the community. This improvement places Eustis among the top 10% of fire departments nationwide.
ISO ratings, which range from Class 1 to Class 10, with Class 1 being the highest rank, are a nationwide standard used by insurance companies to set property insurance premiums and evaluate fire departments’ ability to respond to emergencies.
“The Fire Department has been working towards this evaluation for the past 5 years,” said Fire Chief Mike Swanson. “Preparations ensured that everyone working with the Fire Department was trained and ready to respond effectively. The entire team showed great pride and enthusiasm during the evaluation. I also want to acknowledge that Deputy Chief Kelleher did a phenomenal job answering questions and making sure the evaluator understood our department.”
The Eustis Fire Department received perfect scores in three categories, including Prevention, Emergency Communications and Public Fire Safety Education, during the evaluation. Efforts that led to the improved scores included increasing staffing — growing the Department from 21 to 27 active firefighters — utilizing high-quality, industry-standard equipment and participating in community outreach.
"This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our firefighters, city staff, and partners," said Shawn Kelleher, Deputy Fire Chief of Operations. "A stronger ISO score can potentially lower property insurance premiums for our residents and businesses, but most importantly, it shows our community is safer and better protected."
ISO evaluations measure how well a fire department can protect the community by reviewing factors like training, equipment, emergency communications, water supply, and community risk reduction efforts. This improvement in ISO score demonstrates the City of Eustis’s ongoing commitment to public safety and the Fire Department’s dedication to protecting the community.
