At this week’s session of the Huntsville City Council, councilmembers considered awarding a contract to purchase as Sutphen 100-foot Mid Mount Platform ladder truck for the fire department for $2,104,685.
Councilmember Jon Strong commented on the current department truck and the truck for purchase.
In reference to the ISO rating councilmember Strong referred to, an “ISO rating” for a fire department refers to a score on a scale from 1 to 10 assigned by the Insurance Services Office, or ISO, which indicates how well a community is protected against fire based on factors like the fire department’s capabilities, water supply and emergency communication systems. On a rating system of 1 to 10, the lower the number the better the rating. The City has an ISO rating of “2.”
Fire Chief Greg Mathis commented regarding an ISO rating.
According to Chief Mathis, the reserve fire truck is worth almost three-quarters of a point which is important as the city grows. The council decided to bypass a second reading and voted to approve the purchase to avoid an inflationary cost.
