Training

Fire personnel attend extensive Fire Service Training throughout the year by participation in the Mid-County Training Group, continuing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Training from St. Petersburg College and in-house training lead by our Officers. The Fire Department's organizational structure allows for authority to be delegated to ranking members for efficiency in carrying out goals and objectives.

In addition to responding to emergency and non-emergency 911 calls for assistance, on duty fire crews conduct Pre-Plan and Tactical Survey Response reviews of all businesses, conduct annual fire hydrant and hose testing, fire prevention and hurricane preparedness presentations.

Fire Rescue personnel are required to complete more than three hundred hours of Continuing Fire Education (CFE) courses and Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses annually. This training is accomplished utilizing formal drills conducted at the Fire/EMS Training Centers, informal drills conducted with in each department’s response area and lead by our officers. Training is also conducted online utilizing a software program designed for the fire service and personalized for departments operating in Pinellas County.

ISO (Insurance Services Office)

St. Pete Beach Fire Rescue is currently a Class 2 that its fire protection rating from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), a national insurance industry risk rating and assessment service inspection.

ISO’s staff collects and analyzes the relevant public fire protection data and assigns a Public Protection Classification — a grading from 1 to 10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire suppression program does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria. Most U.S. insurers use these ratings as part of their decision-making when deciding what business to write, coverages to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance. 

This change not only means the department's level of fire protection service has improved, according the ISO analysis, but it could also earn lower property insurance rates for home and business owners within the City of St. Pete Beach.

The ISO’s process for the rating is based on surveying and inspecting all aspects of what the fire department does, from the inspection, testing and documentation of the apparatus and equipment to the number of personnel that respond to every fire incident and the training and certifications that those firefighters have.

ISO officials look at the 911 system, the water system as relates to hydrants and many other factors involved in providing quality fire and rescue service. Information was gathered from 48,632 fire protection areas across the United States. Of those departments inspected nationwide, only 1,342 achieved a Class 2 ISO rating or better. St. Pete Beach is one of only 1,164 other departments in the entire United States that achieved a Class 2 rating. That means the St. Pete Beach Fire Rescue is in the top 3% of the country for providing fire and rescue services.