Effective April 1, 2003 the Houston Fire Department became an ISO Class 1 Fire Department, which is the highest possible class. Although this in itself is an outstanding achievement, the Houston Fire Department’s score makes it the best-of-the-best with the score of 97.01. This is the highest score ever by any fire department.

From the Fire Times—

According to data from the Texas Department of Insurance, the Houston fire department saves homeowners in excess of 401 million dollars each year due to the level of fire protection services offered on a budget of 277 million dollars. That is an average [savings] of $522 a year per household. Commercial, business, rental and contents savings could be three times that.

It has been less than a year (December 2001), that the Insurance Services Office [ISO] raised the Houston Fire Department's ISO Rating from a Class 3 to Class 2. This is the latest feather in Houston Fire Department's hat to go along with highest cardiac survivability rate in the U.S. and largest accredited fire department in the world.

Of 2,355 fire departments within Texas 12 are ISO Class 1. Of 55,397 fire departments nationwide 57 are Class 1. The Houston Fire Department is fourth largest metropolitan fire department in the US, and the largest ISO Class 1 fire department in the World.

Note: Texas now ties California for the state with the most ISO Class 1 fire departments.

From the Fire Times—

The ISO also rated the unincorporated county areas serviced by the Houston Fire Department and those areas are also being rated a Class 1. This represents an improvement from a Class 9 and will represent a significant savings [expected rates to drop two thirds] in property insurance costs for commercial and residential properties.

Here is the Houston Fire Department own link to an ISO Report dated November 20, 2002