NASFM and Verisk Team Up to Advance National Technology Fire Safety Data Practices

July 21, 2026 / 4 min read

BRUSLY, L.A., July 21, 2026– The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) announces a long-term collaboration with Verisk, a leading data analytics and technology provider to the global insurance industry, which, through its Insurance Services Office (ISO) business, supports community-based fire protection scoring. The collaboration aims to help verified sprinkler protection be more consistently reflected in fire safety grading and insurance underwriting, therefore modernizing how a building's internal fire protection systems are documented and recognized nationwide.

At the center of the collaboration is a new, technology-enabled framework that captures and shares standardized inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) data for fire protection systems. By improving the availability and quality of this data, the initiative can help properly installed and maintained sprinkler systems be more consistently reflected in both Verisk’s ISO Public Protection Classification (PPC®) and insurer risk assessments.

Historically, maintaining up-to-date, building-level data on fire protection systems has been challenging due to various factors related to testing, inspection, certification, and other community-specific requirements. This can impact the calculation of a community’s Needed Fire Flow (NFF), which is a measure of the amount of water needed for a fire department to attack a structure fire. Through this collaboration, verified ITM data can now be more consistently incorporated, supporting more accurate community risk evaluation and more informed insurance risk assessment for property and business owners.

“This collaboration between NASFM and Verisk’s ISO can help increase the recognition of sprinkler protection in the insurance process, which may support consideration of verified sprinkler protection as part of the underwriting process. This technology framework not only enhances public safety, but also can help streamline processes for contractors, and improve transparency for Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs),” said NASFM’s Executive Director, Butch Browning.

NASFM President Michael Desrochers stated, “Fire Sprinkler Systems are the most passive and reliable fire protection system utilized to protect human life, property, and the environment. When buildings are protected with automatic fire sprinkler systems, the risk of loss of life and catastrophic building fire loss is reduced significantly.”

“Initiatives such as this create awareness and have the potential to save lives, protect property, and help support more informed insurance risk assessment while ensuring that systems are properly tested and maintained in accordance with codes and standards,” Desrochers added.

The technology platform supporting the collaboration, i-Trax®, is owned and operated by Aztek Fire Safety (AFS), a NASFM Affinity Partner. The cloud-based initiative streamlines the inspection process with a secure, standardized approach to managing inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) of fire and life safety systems. The platform digitally provides information to Verisk’s ISO for the purposes of determining building risks.

Verisk’s ISO manages LOCATION® Public Protection Classification®(PPC), a widely used tool evaluating community fire protection capabilities, which is used by more than 250 insurers. The program tracks the response capabilities of local fire departments across 40,000 fire protection areas and incorporates a range of grading criteria such as emergency communications, fire department, water supply and community risk reduction.

Pilot programs for this initiative were conducted in North Carolina, Texas, and Florida. NASFM announced the collaboration at the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs’ conference held in Concord, North Carolina.

“This collaboration is a big step forward for fire safety and community protection,” said State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor. “It helps ensure communities receive more consistent consideration of their investments in fire protection systems while also supporting firefighter safety and stronger emergency response capabilities in North Carolina.”

“This collaboration brings together critical data and oversight to help strengthen how fire protection systems are documented, maintained, and ultimately valued across the ecosystem,” added Kevin Kuntz, vice president and chief engineer at Verisk’s ISO. “By working alongside NASFM, we’re helping drive greater consistency and accountability in the inspection and maintenance process, while reinforcing Verisk’s commitment to serving the industry with trusted data and insights.”

The NASFM and Verisk’s ISO are committed not only to streamlining and standardizing the inspection process, but also to supporting a safer environment for the public.

ISO®, Public Protection Classification (PPC®), and LOCATION® are registered trademarks of Insurance Services Office, Inc., a Verisk Analytics business.

About NASFM
The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) represents fire marshals and safety officials across the United States, advancing fire prevention, protection, and public safety through leadership, education, and collaboration. For more information, visit firemarshals.org.

About Verisk
Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK) is a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry. It empowers clients to strengthen operating efficiency, improve underwriting and claims outcomes, combat fraud and make informed decisions about global risks, including climate change, catastrophic events, sustainability and political issues. Through advanced data analytics, software, scientific research and deep industry knowledge, Verisk helps build global resilience for individuals, communities and businesses. With teams across more than 20 countries, Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work. For more, visit Verisk.com and the Verisk Newsroom.