By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorThe ISO rating in the rural area of the Warrenton Fire Protection District has dropped significantly, according to officials.The ISO (insurance services office) rating was reduced from a 9 to a 5 for properties within five miles of one of the district’s fire stations or a neighboring fire district’s facility.The rating will continue to be a 9 for those properties beyond five miles.The district’s stations are located on Fairgrounds Road and South Highway 47, both in the city of Warrenton, and on Highway B in Pendleton. For properties inside the Warrenton city limits, the ISO rating will continue to be a 5.The new rural rating goes into effect Oct. 1, Fire Chief Mike Owenby said.“That is a significant drop,” Owenby said. “I am extremely pleased with the results. We were able to go down and we were able to pick up additional points in the city.”The ISO rating is awarded based on a number of factors that determine how quickly a fire can be extinguished in a particular area. The rating is determined on three parameters: Dispatch and communications, fire department and water supply. The last time the fire district’s ISO rating was evaluated in the rural area was over 20 years ago, Owenby said.He credited the district’s approach in the past 10 years in helping lead to improve the rating. Thirty-five dry hydrants have been installed in rural lakes and ponds to help in the firefighting efforts. The district also received extra points for conducting inspections for new construction and existing commercial occupancy.The district encompasses 125 square miles in the county and employs eight paid employees, including six firefighters, a chief and administrative assistant. The paid firefighters work beginning 8 p.m. on Sunday through 8 p.m. on Friday. The weekends are covered by volunteers.Many insurance companies use the ISO rating as part of their formula for calculating insurance premiums. Property owners where the rating dropped are encouraged to contact their insurance companies as it may lead to cheaper premiums.Owenby said he appreciated the assistance during the ISO review from district staff and officials representing Warrenton and 911 dispatch.“There was a lot of folks that worked together and there was a cooperative effort that made this happen,” he remarked. “It’s all of us working together to bring this down.”Warrenton Fire Protection District