Oakland fire chief: department lowers ISO rating, expands EMS capability

Fire Chief Dave Coughlin told the Oakland Budget Advisory Committee that the fire department lowered its Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification from 5 to 3, a change the chief said could reduce property insurance premiums for homeowners and commercial property owners.

"We were able to lower our public protection classification rating from a five to a three," Chief Dave Coughlin said, noting that the change followed investments in a new fire station, hiring full-time personnel and grant-funded equipment.

Coughlin said the department also obtained state permitting to provide higher-level EMS care: when a responder certified at the advanced or paramedic level is available on a call, the department can provide more advanced cardiac monitoring and medications than under a basic-EMT-only response. He described the permitting and state inspection process as taking nearly a year to complete.

The chief summarized grant activity and reimbursements: roughly $124,000 in awarded grants this year for EMS stabilization, training and equipment; $11,922 in FEMA reimbursement for a December 2023 storm; and $2,738 from private donations used to purchase gear. He credited staff and volunteers for training and for delivering more than 3,000 hours of training and responding to 1,253 incidents in the last year.

Why it matters: A lower ISO rating and higher EMS capability can affect community safety and insurance costs. Committee members heard that some increased operating costs (medical supplies, insurance) are driven by the department's expanded scope.

The committee discussed how training stipends and wages were reallocated within the budget to clarify pay lines, and noted that insurance and medical supply lines rose slightly to reflect EMS changes. No formal budget decisions were taken; staff were asked to provide further budget detail on wage reallocations and the grant-funded purchases.

What comes next: The committee will revisit departmental budget items at a follow-up meeting; staff will provide updated budget sheets and any backup documentation supporting the grant and equipment line items.