An improved fire safety rating for Cedar Rapids could eventually mean insurance savings for home and commercial building owners in the city.

The Insurance Services Office (ISO) evaluates more than 46,000 public fire services nationwide. The rating scale goes from 10 (no real fire protection) to 1.

Cedar Rapids was rated “3” as a community. That rating will improve to a “2” as of June 1st, with the city’s fire department now ranked among the top three percent nationwide.

Insurance industry executives say a lot of things go into setting property insurance rates. But the community fire rating is certainly one part of it and a better community rating should eventually translate into better insurance rates.

Cedar Rapids Fire Chief Mark English says he believes one big factor is the public building program the city launched following the flood of 2008.

That saw construction of a new Central Fire Station and the move of a new Station #3 to the west side of the city in late 2013.

The opening of a new fire station on the west side, by itself, increased the percentage of city residents living within 1 ½ miles of a fire station by 12 percent.

“The moving of Station 3 to the west side helped us increase our service capabilities in the city and that may have been the biggest thing to pick us up to the next level,” chief English said.

The chief says the rating service looked at new equipment and capabilities added by the department in recent years, as well as community outreach programs to aid fire prevention.

Michael Sheeley with the United Fire Group says it’s impossible to predict the impact of an improved fire rating on individual homeowner or business policies.

But over the years, and overall, the impact could be in the millions.

“Over years and time with all the companies involved and the competitive nature that’s out there it’s only good for the consumer,” Sheeley said.

Chief English says community leaders are thrilled with the new, improved fire safety rating.

So pleased it could become part of future economic development pitches for new companies.