For the first time in 10 years, ISO, a nationwide firm that provides statistics and actuarial data to insurance companies, inspected the station and found it to be in compliance with current residential needs. According to the report, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 representing exemplary fire protection and 10 being the lowest, the station stepped up from a class 4 to a class 3. This means that the "community's fire-suppression services are improving in the face of the demands of a changing environment," states the report.

This is good news for several property owners, especially of commercial buildings.

"In addition to other factors, scores have a significant impact on insurance rates," said Christopher Guidette, spokesman for ISO. "The less risk there is for a fire, the better the score and the lower the rates are for insurance premiums."

Rates may vary from one insurance company to another. For example, residents who belong to Allstate may experience a reduction of approximately 5 percent in premium costs with a bump from a class 4 to a class 3, according to Saratoga Allstate agent Jerry Caracciolo. However, Frank Littlekingerpierce, a local agent with AAA, said that AAA policyholders would not be affected by the change in score because classes 2, 3 and 4 are grouped under the same category, with similar rates.

"Most Saratogans are in a favorable position in terms of insurance rates," said Daniel Logan, a local representative from Farmers Insurance Group, which provides home insurance for more than 250 residents in Saratoga.

Under the group, Logan said that a jump from a class 4 to a class 5 would translate to an approximate 20 percent increase in premium costs.

"The general rule is that the farther away a property is from a fire station or a fire hydrant, the higher the rates would be," Logan said. "However, there are some preventive measures residents can take to offset high premium costs, such as installing a fire alarm and a sprinkler system in the home and switching from wood roofs to cement or concrete tile ones.

Likewise, there are some things the fire department can do to ensure a better score during the next round of inspections and subsequently lower premium rates for residents.

According to the department's assistant chief, Ron Vega, the department lost minor points in the areas of communication, equipment and water resource.

Instead of the fire department being listed in the phone book under "Saratoga Fire Department," ISO recommends that all local stations be listed under the general category of "fire department." In addition, Vega said, ISO required all departments to carry a 2 ¹/2-inch nozzle play pipe, which is generally used for larger commercial facilities, a burst-hose jacket for instances when hoses break or leak and a 20-gallon water fire extinguisher in all engines.

"Some of these requirements are outdated or not ideal in our type of environment," Vega said. "Most of our equipment is more modern and advanced than the ones recommended."

For instance, Vega said that the play pipe would not be ideal in a place like Saratoga, which consists mainly of residential homes. In cases of larger fires, Vega said the station uses combination nozzles that allow firefighters to adjust the flow and pressure of the water. He added that burst-hose jackets would not be necessary because firefighters would either use clamps or replace the entire hose if it breaks and that all engines are equipped with a 500-gallon water tank, which is more than what ISO requires.

"We're proud of our score," Vega said. "It's in part due to the concerted efforts among the San Jose Water Company, the Santa Clara County Office of Communication, the city of Saratoga and the public at large."

Vega said that some of the ISO recommendations are cost-prohibitive, but the department plans to build on its internal operations. Currently, the department inspects local businesses once a year for potential fire hazards, but Vega said the department plans to increase inspection to twice a year, with the second inspection focused more on mapping out exterior escape routes.