Fire departments across the country constantly balance operational needs, community safety, and budget realities. One critical factor often influencing these decisions is the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating. While ISO ratings significantly impact insurance premiums for residents and businesses, many departments wrestle with misconceptions about how ISO affects apparatus specifications, especially regarding water tanks, pump sizes, ladder trucks, and reserve units.

This episode covers ISO criteria, its relationship with fire apparatus specifications, and practical guidance to help fire chiefs and apparatus officers make informed decisions that optimize both ISO scores and operational effectiveness.

The episode ultimately challenges fire service leaders to move beyond assumptions and to approach ISO with an informed, strategic mindset that balances rating goals with practical, operational realities.

The post The Apparatus Workshop: ISO Ratings and Your Specs appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

David Wilson
Pasadena Star-News, Calif.
(TNS)

The Pasadena Fire Department Monday, Sept. 29, presented to the City Council a $227 million long-term development plan that would include rebuilding a fire station and building a new one and relocating fire department headquarters over the next 10 years and beyond.

Chief Chad Augustin first previewed the plan to City Council back in June during department budget presentations, but Monday’s presentation included more details about the plan, timelines and projected costs. Augustin separated his proposed changes into short, medium and long-term categories.

• 2026-27: Add a second battalion chief
• 2028-2030: Add a ninth fire engine, a seventh rescue ambulance and tear down and rebuild Station 33
• 2031-2035: Add a third ladder truck and an eighth rescue ambulance, tear down and rebuild Station 37 and construct a ninth fire station

“The goal is to ensure we are a more prepared Pasadena for many years to come. In order to get to a good starting point we have attempted to cost the first 10 years of this plan,” Augustin said. “That does not mean that the funding and that this long-term plan should end at the 10-year mark. Rather, we should constantly be looking for new and innovative ways to ensure that Pasadena is as prepared as possible for the next disaster.”

In addition, the plan calls for supporting weed abatement and brush clearance programs as well as development of a new training center and exploration of relocating Fire Administration headquarters to the Rose Bowl.

Rebuilding Station 33 is estimated to cost $30.5 million, Station 37 an estimated $34 million and the new fire station projected to be $37.8 million.

According to the fire department, it is considering the north side of the city, the southern part of the city or near the Rose Bowl as potential locations for the new fire station due to incident call volume and areas where future growth is expected.

“Preparedness cannot have an end date,” Augustin said. “I recommend that this plan be supported with ongoing funding, paired with regular updates to measure progress and incorporate emerging technology.”

Augustin said increased staffing will be needed as call volumes have increased by 33% since 2012 but that the increase cannot happen without expansions to aging fire stations. He said looking back at recent history suggests that another weather event similar to January or before that the 2011 wind event is likely to occur sometime in the next 10 years.

“I wouldn’t be honest with you if I didn’t say the risks weren’t there and ever increasing,” Augustin said.

Councilmember Steve Madison suggested looking at funds collected from Measures I and J as potential options to help pay for aspects of the long-term plan.

The plan will now be reviewed by City Council committees before coming back to the full council for action.

© 2025 Pasadena Star-News, Calif.. Visit www.pasadenastarnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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T-Mobile and 3AM Innovations have joined forces to bring mission-critical decision support tools to first responders on the 5G network and T-Priority: a first-of-its-kind solution designed to keep first responders connected in the 5G era of public safety.

This collaboration brings together T-Mobile’s T-Priority solution for first responders and 3AM’s FLORIAN platform, a real-time responder tracking and incident command solution. Built to perform in any environment, FLORIAN helps keep first responders safe, visible, and connected at all times. “First responders operate in some of the most challenging, high-risk environments imaginable. Often without adequate equipment. 3AM Innovations exists to change that, to deliver the technology they deserve. Technology as fast and as reliable as they are,” says Ryan Litt, CEO and Co-founder, 3AM Innovations. “By joining forces with T-Mobile, we’re establishing a new benchmark for public safety technology. Putting comprehensive situational intelligence directly into the hands of those who need it most, when they need it most.”

Across the United States, more than half a million square miles remain “dead zones,” places where traditional coverage simply can’t reach. For the teams who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others, these gaps are more than an inconvenience. Delays in communication can mean the difference between life and death. Lost visibility of personnel can leave commanders guessing in moments when certainty is critical. And, compromised connectivity can strip responders of the tools they need most: awareness, coordination, and speed.

At its core, FLORIAN has always been about knowing where your people are. Real-time visibility translates into better decision making, stronger coordination, and safer outcomes. But until now, these capabilities have been tied to the reach of terrestrial networks. By extending coverage into the sky, satellite connectivity allows FLORIAN to overcome such limitations. With more than 650 satellites orbiting overhead, even the most remote, off-grid, and disaster-stricken locations are brought into the light. When visibility is restored, action can be immediate.

T-Mobile recently expanded T-Satellite with Starlink, bringing satellite data connectivity for popular apps to dozens more smartphones. Essential tools like app-based voice and video chat, mapping, weather and social media sharing, among others, are now part of the T-Satellite experience. T-Mobile is extending the power of its T-Satellite into business applications to deliver always-on connectivity across iOS and Android — automatically included with SuperMobile and T-Priority plans.

By bringing secure connectivity to environments where field teams have never before had access, T-Satellite is unlocking new business-first use cases and advancing mission-critical operations virtually everywhere. So, in the case of FLORIAN, personnel can connect even in the most remote or disaster-stricken areas.

The benefits are far-reaching. Wildland firefighters moving deep into canyons, linemen repairing storm-battered powerlines, or first responders stepping into wildfire zones, they can all now carry FLORIAN with the confidence that their connection won’t disappear when they need it most. For incident commanders, this means unbroken oversight of personnel locations, hazards, and environmental data. Even if a hurricane takes down towers or an earthquake severs infrastructure, direct-to-phone satellite connection ensures updates continue, messages still get through, and teams remain in touch.

While emergency response is the immediate focus, the implications extend far beyond. Connectivity is the backbone of safety across countless industries, from utilities and construction to oil and gas, maritime operations, and logistics. Wherever teams face risk in challenging environments, resilient communication is non-negotiable.

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