To the Editor:

HPM Insurance would like to congratulate the Milford Fire Department for its hard work in making the residents and businesses of Milford a safer place to live and work.

It may seem obvious that any town’s fire department makes a community safer; however, Milford’s fire department went above and beyond when it, along with Milford’s Water Department and Milford Area Communications Center, committed the time, energy and money to work with the Insurance Services Office to improve the town’s safety rating.

ISO is an advisory organization that provides information, including evaluations of public fire protection, to insurance companies to help better evaluate risk.

Ten years ago, ISO inspectors audited Milford Fire Department and found the town was not adequately prepared to move large volumes of water over a sustained period given the town’s rapid growth. Instead of accepting this fact, the fire department stepped up to the challenge and developed a comprehensive strategy to improve water delivery outside areas with hydrants.

This was not an easy process and Milford Fire Department should be commended for its commitment in executing a project that included practice drills with area fire departments, improved access to water sources and training specifically for rural water supply operations.

The townspeople of Milford should also be applauded for realizing the importance of the town’s safety by approving the purchase of a new fire engine back in 2012. These drills, along with the new engine, made it possible for improvements in the town’s overall safety and hence ISO rating.

These improvements were recognized when ISO performed another audit in 2013 and witnessed the vast improvements the Milford Fire Department had made over the years. Though the intent of the fire department was not to please ISO, but rather improve the safety of the town, this recognition resulted in an improvement in the town’s public protection classification.

What this means for the building owners of Milford is that the premium paid to their insurance company will positively reflect this improvement in some capacity.

As society is frequently looking for a quick fix to many problems, the dedication that the Milford Fire Department exhibited in improving the town’s safety rating is truly commendable. We are proud to be part of this wonderful community.

LYLE FULKERSON

President and CEO

HPM Insurance