

Risk Assessment: Homes located closer to a fire hydrant are generally considered lower risk, facilitating a more precise evaluation of fire risk. The proximity of a fire hydrant is a vital component for fire suppression, but there are other ways to use fire hydrant location data to make smarter insurance decisions. Given that structure fires represent upwards of 23.8% of an insurer’s claims expenses, according to the Insurance Information Institute, getting more accurate data on the fire suppression capabilities of specific addresses is a smart investment. The fire loss severity is nearly 2x less for homes located <250 feet from a fire hydrant versus homes located beyond 1,000 feet from a fire hydrant (or water source). For instance, according to a recent Guidewire study, a home under 250 feet from a fire hydrant burns with 9% less fire severity than a home located 250-500 feet away. The time needed to establish a water connection by the fire department is one of the most critical determinants in fire severity and loss. It is also often only a binary choice of under or over 1,000 feet to the home. Traditionally, this metric is self-reported and merely guessed at by the customer to the insurer. The Power of Fire Hydrant Data: Why Location Mattersįire hydrant proximity to a property is the most significant indicator of the potential for fire severity and loss.

HazardHub Property Risks also provides comprehensive property risk data for multiple hazards and perils such as wildfire, hurricane, and flood risk. All this information is easily accessible via HazardHub’s fast and powerful Property Risks data API. With that in mind, HazardHub has developed the nation’s largest database of fire hydrant locations in the United States.Īs the most comprehensive database of fire hydrant locations, it lists over 11.6 million fire hydrant locations across hundreds of cities, states, counties, and water districts throughout the U.S. I am proud to lead the men and women of the CAL FIRE / Placer County Fire Department, and I speak for all of us when I say it is an absolute honor to serve the people of Placer County as your County Fire Chief.The location and proximity of a fire hydrant to a property significantly impacts fire risk and severity – as well as an insurer's ability to accurately address property risk assessment and mitigate loss, accurately price policies, ensure compliance with fire codes, and promote safety. We look forward to providing updates on responses, activities, and critical fire prevention and life-safety messages and resources. We work collaboratively and cooperatively with our partners in public safety and are constantly training on emerging trends in emergency response.Īgain, thank you for visiting our website.

In addition to suppressing all fire types, the Placer County Fire Department is comprised of specialists in emergency response disciplines including basic and advanced life support, technical rescue, swift-water rescue, hazardous materials, fire investigation and complex incident command. The Placer County Fire Department is prepared to respond to each of these environments with our highly trained responders. This diverse geographical region presents inherent hazards ranging from flooding in the valley regions to major transportation portals, world class recreation areas, and the ever-present threat of large damaging wildfires in the wildland urban interface of the foothills and mountain regions. Surrounded by profound natural beauty and a diverse and expansive landscape, Placer County is a natural wonder.
