Archived News Release: January 31, 2023 - An Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD) rating number is decreasing, and it's a substantial point of pride. Effective May 1, 2023, the Public Protection Classification (PPC) for the City of Ann Arbor is being lowered from a 3 to a 2. The AAFD is now one of only 19 departments in Michigan and one of 1,729 in the United States with a 2 classification. PPC 10-point scale assigns 1 as the best, while a 10 essentially indicates no fire protection in place. PPC collects information for public fire protection in more than 39,000 areas across the country.
Stability of staffing and the addition of a light-rescue EMS unit to AAFD Station 1 are considered major contributors to this improved rating. According to Ann Arbor Fire Chief Mike Kennedy, department personnel and backing from Ann Arbor leadership are other key factors. “This classification reduction is attributable to the dedication and professionalism of our outstanding team. This also would not have been possible without the support of the mayor, City Council and city administrator."
The department's last review, in 2016, resulted in a 3 classification, which was a one-point improvement from the previous score. The PPC rating system is based on a 100-point scale, scored among three primary components (the more points, the better). Here's how AAFD scored in each area, and a comparison with the previous rating:
Emergency communications: 10 points possible.
2023 points: 7.96
2016 points: 6.71
Fire department: 50 points possible.
2023 points: 37.99
2016 points: 33.99
Water supply: 40 points possible.
2023 points: 38.04
2016 points: 37.83
The new PPC rating is an important quality indicator of fire service and could translate to savings for community members. Kennedy explains, “Though each insurance provider uses different metrics for their rates, a lower PPC may lead to reduced fire insurance rates for our residents and business owners, which shows real return on investment in the fire department." PPC also provides fire departments with a valuable benchmark for planning, budgeting and justifying fire protection improvements.
