The Board of Supervisors will host a required public hearing on July 20 on the establishment of fire grading districts for Abbeville, Harmontown, Paris, Tula, Lafayette Springs and Philadelphia.
“There’s no guarantee from the Rating Bureau, but we believe these will go to at least a 9,” Johnson said. “They’ll look at our equipment, our training, our manpower.” Both volunteer availability and the amount of time that paid firefighters are on duty will figure into the ratings.
One difference between these latest proposed districts and most previous ones is that initial rating improvements in the new districts may not require upgrades in local water utilities.
“These aren’t dependent on water supply,” Johnson said. “These are going to be based on hauling water (from the fire stations).”
After the districts are created and rated, however, he will begin working with water associations to add water lines and fire hydrants that can service tanker trucks more quickly. Some other districts, such as Central Fire District that extends north and east of Oxford, have already achieved ratings of 7 after such water upgrades.
“Hopefully, this will translate into lower insurance premiums for the people of Lafayette County,” Johnson said, “but we don’t sell insurance, and we don’t set ratings.”
Wayne Perkins, agency manager with Farm Bureau Insurance in Oxford, said even a one-digit improvement in a district’s fire rating can mean a significant cut in premiums.
©2015 the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Tupelo, Miss.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
