WSRB protection class

In Washington, the fire protection rating of a city or fire district comes from the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau (WSRB), not from ISO, which rates most other states. Washington fire department pages on FireDepartment.net show it as the "WSRB protection class" when the department or WSRB has published it.

What the number means

WSRB describes itself as "an independent, not-for-profit organization operating in the public interest." Its protection class (PC) is "a score from 1 to 10" for the fire protection available at a property:

• 1 means "exemplary fire protection capabilities are available."
• 10 means "the fire protection capabilities, if any, are not sufficient to receive credit for insurance."

Source: WSRB and Protection Class FAQ, checked October 26, 2026.

What WSRB looks at

WSRB grades a community on four things, using a points schedule:

• Fire department: where stations are, staffing levels, equipment and training.
• Water supply: how much water can flow, and where hydrants are and how they are maintained.
• Emergency communications: the 911 dispatch system, its staffing and training.
• Fire safety control: fire and building code enforcement, fire investigations and public fire education.

Source: WSRB, Guide to Community Ratings, checked October 26, 2026.

Your home's class can differ from the district's

The class a fire department publishes is its community's class. WSRB says it is "the best PC an individual property within that community can have." A home's own class also depends on how far it is from a fire station that responds and from a standard fire hydrant. Homes farther away get a higher (worse) number.

In January 2026 WSRB added a "W" class for some properties between five and seven road miles from a fire station, which is better than a standard class 9.

Sources: WSRB, Guide to Community Ratings; WSRB, "Introducing W Classifications" (January 16, 2026), checked October 26, 2026.

Why it matters

WSRB says a community's protection class is one input in fire insurance premiums. It also notes that "not all insurance companies covering property in Washington state use WSRB PC data," so ask your agent or insurance company whether yours does.

Sources: WSRB, For Community Officials; WSRB and Protection Class FAQ, checked October 26, 2026.

How to find the class for your home

WSRB's customer service answers questions at 206-217-0101 (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday). WSRB says "there's never a fee to contact us." To find out whether your insurance company uses WSRB's classes, WSRB says to ask your agent or insurance company.

Source: WSRB and Protection Class FAQ, checked October 26, 2026.

Where the numbers on this site come from

Each class on a fire department's page links to where it was published, usually the department's own website, annual report or a WSRB letter it posted, with the date it took effect when the source gives one. WSRB re-evaluates communities, so a class can change. If your department's class is missing or out of date, use the "Update this fire department's statistics" link on its page.