20140513 PR -Fire Dept. achieves CLass 2 certification by the I.S.O,
Press Release
Contact: Jeff Marciniak
Phone: (630) 368‐5210
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oak Brook Fire Department Achieves an I.S.O. Class 2 Certification
Oak Brook, Illinois – May 13, 2014 – On May 5, 2014, the Oak Brook Fire Department received
notification that the department will be reclassified by the Insurance Services Organization (ISO) as a
Class 2 community. The Department is now ranked among the top 1.5 percent of all departments across
the United States for its fire protection capabilities. Nationally, of 49,010 rated departments, there are
only 750 departments comparable to the Oak Brook Fire Department’s Public Protection Classification.
Fire Departments receive classifications between a top rating of Class 1 and the lowest rating of Class 10
based on several aspects of the Department’s ability to protect its community for fire suppression. Oak
Brook’s previous classification was a Class 3.
The ratings are based on a scale that evaluates multiple criteria of the department: personnel,
equipment, the water system, training and communications, which is provided by DuComm. “The
reclassification of Oak Brook as a Class 2 community is a strong indication of the great department we
have and will help Oak Brook remain a premier community for residents and businesses,” said Village
President Gopal Lalmalani.
The ISO Public Protection Classifications are used by the insurance industry to estimate insurance costs
for businesses and homeowners within the community. Having a better ISO rating may lower insurance
costs within a community. The new Class 2 rating will reflect insurance rate changes for businesses
within the Oak Brook community, and may affect the rates of some homeowners as well. Businesses and
residents should check with their individual insurance companies to determine if they will benefit from
this reclassification.
The upgrade in the Village’s classification reflects the ongoing cooperation within the Village’s Fire and
Public works Departments as well as with surrounding area fire departments in sharing services,
equipment, training and personnel.
The new Public Protection Classification will be effective on August 1, 2014.
For further questions about the new ISO 2 classification, please contact Battalion Chief Jeff Marciniak at
630‐368‐5210.
About Oak Brook:
Founded in 1958, the Village of Oak Brook is located 15 miles west of downtown Chicago and is in
proximity to the junction of Interstates 88, 294, and 290. The Village consists mostly of residential
subdivisions, with the exception of the Oak Brook Center shopping mall, other retail and office
properties along 22nd Street and Interstate 88. Oak Brook is the home of many corporate offices, most
notably, the world headquarters of McDonald’s Corporation, Ace Hardware, Tree House Foods, Inland
Real Estate and the service club organization Lions Clubs International. Oak Brook is also known for
being one of the few municipalities in the Chicago area that does not levy a property tax on residents or
businesses. To learn more about Oak Brook, please visit http://www.oak‐brook.org.
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