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The Andalusia Fire Department improved its ISO rating from a Class 4 to a Class 3, the best ever earned by the local department, Chief Russell McGlamory said.

ISO scores are based on inspections done by the Insurance Services Office. The ISO monitors fire departments’ abilities to respond to emergencies, as well as infrastructure, water departments and many other agencies that factor into an area’s overall safety. ISO then rates the overall safety of an area on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the safest and 10 the most unsafe. High ISO scores can increase home insurance rates in the community.

McGlamory said inspectors spent an entire day reviewing records, equipment and facilities to determine the city’s 2025 rating, which becomes effective on Sept. 1, 2025.

In 2014, the city’s rating improved from a 5 to a 4, which it maintained through two five-year evaluation cycles.

McGlamory said the department’s fire reports, equipment, and communication protocols helped improve the rating.

Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson said Chief McGlamory and all members of the department are to be congratulated for their efforts to improve their ranking.

“I have said many times that our people are our greatest asset and Chief McGlamory and his team have just made that point again,” Johnson said. “Our fire department works every day to improve, to be better and the result is lower insurance rates for our citizens.”

The mayor also praised the Andalusia City Council for its support of the AFD, and the Utilities Board, for their interest in safety.

“The City Council and Utilities Board are to be commended for having the foresight to invest in improving and maintaining infrastructure, equipment, employee development and training that when combined over a period of years, translates into savings for our citizens,” he said. “This rating starts with having an adequate water supply, and the Utilities Board has invested in improving that infrastructure, ensuring that our citizens have plenty of water.

The Andalusia City Council invested in a new pumper truck in 2019, ensuring the AFD can pump 2,000 gallons of water per minute. It also completed renovations to the fire station in the past year.