How to Fill Out the ISO Apparatus and Equipment Inventory Form

The ISO Apparatus and Equipment Inventory Form is completed one apparatus at a time: for each vehicle you record its identification and pump data in the header, then work through the checklists for hose, ladders, hand tools, nozzles, extinguishers, SCBA, and testing records, entering only equipment that is physically on the rig and in serviceable condition. Every entry will be verified in the field, so the form should describe the apparatus exactly as an evaluator would find it if they opened the compartments today.1Verisk. The PPC Evaluation Process

Where the Form Comes From

ISO sends the form to the department as part of a presurvey packet once an evaluation has been scheduled.2Verisk. Preparing for the Survey If you need a copy outside that cycle, either to prepare early or to keep an internal inventory current, contact your regional ISO field representative or check the ISO Mitigation website at isomitigation.com. Some state fire marshal offices also distribute the form or a state equivalent.

Completing the Vehicle Header

Every apparatus in the fleet gets its own section. The header identifies the unit and captures the performance data ISO uses to classify it. For each vehicle, enter:

  • Type: engine, ladder, service, rescue, or other. This determines which equipment scoring table applies.
  • Make and year built for the chassis or apparatus.
  • The department’s internal ID number.
  • Pump capacity in gallons per minute, matching the figure on the most recent pump service test certificate.

Have the title, registration, and current pump test certificate in front of you when you fill these fields. The pump capacity figure drives the fire-flow calculations, so the number on the form has to match the tested rating. For any apparatus to count toward even a Class 9 rating, it needs a permanently mounted pump rated at 250 gpm or more at 150 psi and a water tank of at least 200 gallons.3Verisk. Minimum Criteria for Class 9

ISO does not impose an age cap. A 30-year-old pumper still earns credit if it passes its pump test and carries the required equipment. What disqualifies a rig is being out of service or missing gear, not the year on the door.

Front-Line or Reserve

Mark each vehicle as front-line or reserve, and be honest about it. Front-line units are staffed and ready for immediate dispatch; reserves back them up during maintenance or multiple-alarm incidents. The point weights are very different. An engine company (front-line pumper) earns up to 6 points in the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, while a reserve pumper is worth 0.5. Ladder and service trucks work the same way: up to 4 points front-line, 0.5 reserve.4Verisk. Items Considered in the FSRS

Hose Inventory

List the total footage and diameter of every hose on the apparatus. The minimum ISO looks for on each pumper is 400 feet of 1.5-inch, 1.75-inch, or 2-inch attack hose plus 800 feet of 2.5-inch or larger supply hose.3Verisk. Minimum Criteria for Class 9 Large-diameter supply hose in 4-inch or 5-inch sizes, used for relay or hydrant connections, should be listed separately.

Footage alone is not enough. The form tracks whether each section of hose has passed its annual service test under NFPA 1962. Hose that has not been tested within the past year will not receive full credit even if it is on the rig.

Ground Ladders

On each pumper, credit requires at least one extension ground ladder of 24 feet or longer and one 12-foot straight ladder with roof hooks.3Verisk. Minimum Criteria for Class 9 Ladder companies carry more, with a separate point table in the FSRS covering multiple extension ladders, attic ladders, and bangor-style ladders. Record the type, length, and material of every ladder assigned to the rig.

Hand Tools, Nozzles, and Extinguishers

The form inventories hand tools by function. For a pumper meeting minimum criteria, the required list runs:

  • One pick-head axe and one flat-head axe.
  • At least one forcible entry tool such as a Halligan bar or pry bar.
  • One pike pole or plaster hook for overhaul.
  • Two handline nozzles rated at 95 gpm minimum.
  • Two portable fire extinguishers, typically an 80-BC dry chemical unit and a 2.5-gallon water extinguisher.
  • Two portable hand lights.
  • One two-way radio assigned to the apparatus, worth 16 points on its own.

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    Every item has to be on the rig and functional. Tools locked in a storage room, waiting on a repair bench, or borrowed from another unit do not count. If you have time before the survey, walk each apparatus and physically confirm each item before you enter it. Equivalent items with slightly different names or dimensions can still receive credit depending on local conditions, so do not omit a tool just because it does not match the form’s exact wording.3Verisk. Minimum Criteria for Class 9

    SCBA and Spare Cylinders

    Self-contained breathing apparatus carry disproportionate weight in the scoring. ISO requires one SCBA for each assigned seating position on the apparatus, with a minimum of four units per pumper, all compliant with NFPA 1981. You also need one spare cylinder for each SCBA carried, up to four spares.3Verisk. Minimum Criteria for Class 9 SCBA line items alone account for 20 points under the Class 9 criteria, more than axes, pike poles, forcible entry tools, extinguishers, and hand lights combined. Enter the count of units and the count of spare cylinders separately, and note the certification status of each.

    Pump and Hose Test Records

    Inventory is only half of what the form captures. The other half is proof that the equipment has been tested on schedule.

    Annual Pump Service Test

    Every credited pumper needs an annual pump service test. The FSRS allocates up to 100 points for a pumper service test program.5Fire Sprinkler Association. Fire Suppression Rating Schedule The test confirms rated capacity and the condition of gauges, valves, and plumbing. Have the most recent certificate for each apparatus in hand and enter the test date and results in the fields provided.

    Hose Service Test Records

    The FSRS allocates up to 50 points for a hose service test program.5Fire Sprinkler Association. Fire Suppression Rating Schedule Under NFPA 1962, hose must be service tested before being placed in service and at least annually after that.6Snap-tite Hose. NFPA 1962: A Guide to Fire Hose Inspection and Testing For each section, your records should show the assigned ID number, size and length, hose type, the date of each service test, the test pressure, and any repair or damage history. Incomplete records are one of the most common reasons departments lose points during a survey: the hose passes visual inspection, but without the paperwork, ISO cannot credit it.

    Submitting the Form and What Happens Next

    Return the completed form to your assigned ISO specialist. Most departments submit it electronically with the rest of the presurvey packet; some hand it over in person at the field visit. Treat it as your starting document, not your final word.

    During the field survey, the ISO evaluator physically inspects apparatus and spot-checks equipment against what you reported. Expect them to open compartments, count hose sections, check SCBA cylinder dates, and confirm ladder lengths. Any discrepancy between the form and what is actually on the rig reduces the credit for that apparatus.1Verisk. The PPC Evaluation Process The evaluator also reviews engine and ladder company deployment, pumping capacity, reserve apparatus, staffing, and training as part of the broader survey, so the inventory form is one piece of a larger picture.

    After the survey, ISO analyzes the data, runs it through quality review, and issues the community’s PPC. The department receives a notification letter along with a summary report showing how points were earned or lost in each category.1Verisk. The PPC Evaluation Process

    Common Point-Losers to Fix Before the Survey

    The summary report from a prior grading is the most reliable guide to where the current form needs attention. Recurring equipment-side issues to check before you submit:

    • Missing spare SCBA cylinders. The requirement is one spare per unit, up to four spares.
    • Hose that has not been service tested within the past year, or hose with incomplete testing records.
    • Pumpers missing one or more required hand tools, nozzles, or extinguishers.
    • Pump test certificates that are outdated or do not match the pump capacity entered on the form.
    • Reserve units listed as front-line, or vice versa, which distorts the point calculation.

    Departments that keep the inventory current year-round, rather than reconstructing it when the presurvey packet arrives, tend to see fewer discrepancies during the field visit and hold on to points they would otherwise lose.