On June 1, 2014, the City of El Cerrito and the Kensington Fire Protection District received a Class 2 Public Protection Classification from the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO). This was a one point improvement from the Department’s 2004 rating. The best available is a “one” and the worst available is a “10.” We are proud to announce that we are one of only 62 Class 2 Departments in State which has a total of 988 Fire Departments.

The rating, established by ISO, evaluates the performance of municipal fire suppression capabilities. The City rating schedule consists of three main areas: receiving and handling of fire alarms, the Fire Department, and water distribution and supply. The ranking of these items leads to an overall Public Protection Classification, which is one element used to determine fire insurance rates.

The next ISO survey for the El Cerrito and Kensington communities will be during 2024.