The Insurance Services Office, or ISO, has reclassified the Anchor Point Fire and Emergency Medical Service Area to a better ISO rating. The service area’s rating has improved from a 7/9 to a 5/5Y rating, Fire Chief Al Terry said in a press release last week. The new rating affects insurance rates policyholders pay for fire insurance on commercial and residential buildings. Anchor Point area residents may see reduced fire premiums due to the better rating.

ISO ranks fire service areas on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 the least effective fire rating and 1 the most effective. The new rating of 5/5Y means that any building within 5 miles of a fire station and 1,000 feet from a hydrant receives a 5 rating, while the rest receive a 5Y rating. The Anchor Point Fire and EMS Service Area has two fire stations, one at 72440 Milo Fritz Road in Anchor Point and a second at 65830 Nikolaevsk Road in Nikolaevsk.

The new ratings take effect on Feb. 1, 2017. Property owners should let their insurance carriers know of the change and agents will let policyholders know of the impact.

“Many of you will face a decrease in homeowner’s insurance premiums of varying amounts,” Terry said.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.