FD's ISO Committee Needs Help w/ Water Company problem

Hi, I am on a committee at my firehouse to prepare for our next visit from ISO. One of the things ISO wants to see is a record of hydrant pressures, etc. Well, we have run into a little problem. The water company is forbidding us from testing the hydrants ourselves, plus they are refusing to do it for us.

One thought we have it to show them that it benefits both of us. However, I am looking for any ideas on how we can get the water company to help us out one way or another. We seem to be in a tight situation with this one.

What is the reason for not testing? What is your current ISO rating?

You may be able to make a point by showing that lack of testing will result in a raising of the ISO rating thus increasing fire insurance premimums for all businesses and residences affected by the water company.

Get the figures from an insurance agent on the difference in rates between ISO ratings. Meet with the water company and show the cost. If they still refuse, go public with the problem. It will create some hard feelings with the water company but it may change their mind and also let the public know who caused their costs to go up.

I dealt with a water company that was not going to repair hydrants because the did not make any money for the company. They wanted the fire dept to pay for any repairs. I provided the board with the ISO figures and they changed their mind. They didn't want that much heat from their customers.

Is the water company privately owned, municipally owned, or a not-for profit corporation?

Our current rating is a 5-9. The 5 being in the center of our call area where it is hydranted.

The water company is CT Water, a privately owned company.

Are you going to do anything about the Class 9?????????????

As much as we can...

Every year, the WC puts in 3 new hydrants in the locations we specify. Also whenever they lay a new main, the Fire Marshall makes them put new hydrants in. And whenever a new subdivision gets put in, the Fire Marshall makes the developer pay for hydrants to be put into the new subdivisions.

We cover roughly 2/3 of my town, which is divided into 5 villages. We cover 3 of the villages and part of the 4th. The 9 comes from 2 of the 3 villages: Windsorville and Melrose. We have been trying for the longest time to get a station out in Windsorville but have basically been told by the town to go suck eggs. The town also set us up for failure on this one, long story but maybe I can shorten it. The town first told us that we had to find town owned land in Windsorville. Well, the only town owned land was a public park. Our chief's idea was to build the station at the park's current location and move the park back off the road more. Now picture a situation where you have a FC who wants to build over a park where children play and citizens of a village who already don't like the FC...not a good scenario. Well after a good ol' New England town meeting, not only did we not have land, we were made to look very bad. Then the town said "well, if you find land then we'll give you funding". They said this thinking we wouldn't succeed. One citizen agreed to donate land for us for use as a fire station. Well, we told that to the town in 1992 and they basically said "Sorry...we don't have the money to fund that" and said they wouldn't be able to even begin funding it for 8 years. Well, 8 years has gone by and the town basically gave us the shaft again. However, the Fire Marshall and myself are trying to hatch a plan to get a station. Hopefully it will work.