Work Underway To Restructure County’s Fire Departments
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WATER VALLEY – The Yalobusha County Emergency Agency (EMA) is working to restructure the county’s volunteer fire departments to reduce premiums for homeowners insurance in areas of the county outside of the municipal limits of Coffeeville, Oakland and Water Valley. EMA Director Stewart Spence reported to supervisors that work is underway to restructure the county’s seven volunteer fire departments to one county-wide department with seven districts.
Spence’s report came in the June 26th recessed Board of Supervisor meeting as he explained the transition will immediately lower the unincorporated areas of the county from a Class 10 Rating to a Class 9 Rating. Fire protection ratings in Mississippi range from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best rating. Each rating level increase typically corresponds to a five to eight percent increase in the cost of fire insurance for residential structures.
The Mississippi State Rating Bureau (MSRB) is responsible for the classifications that are used to determine fire insurance ratings. The rating is a strict process that measures fire department capabilities including the number of firefighters responding to a call, water infrastructure and flows, communications, building and fire codes and other areas.
Spence reported that the number of responders is recorded for each fire call with a run log. The number of firefighters who respond from the primary department counts more by rating bureau standards than firefighters who respond from other departments to provide mutual aid. Spence said that improving the rating from a Class 10 to a Class 9 or even Class 8 can be achieved with existing equipment if the number of responders from the primary department is increased. With the restructuring to a county-wide department, all firefighters who respond to a fire will count as primary responders.
“When we start filling out the run reports, we will have more responders per call which will help with insurance rates,” Spence told supervisors. “As soon as we do the paperwork we will automatically go to Class 9. This is going to save on everybody’s insurance. The way we are planning it will not be long after that, probably the next year, and we will get most departments down to a Class 8. This will save even more on insurance,” Spence added.
“The fire departments should not have a problem with this?” District 4 Supervisor Eddie Harris asked.
“So far everyone we have talked to does not have a problem at all,” Spence answered. “If we keep it are right now, there are some fire departments that will never be a Class 9 just because they have the manpower. With this, instead of one department having 10 volunteers, when we get everything restructured every department will have 100 people. Every volunteer in the county is going to be under one department,” Spence explained.
“That is a huge win for the constituents,” Board President Cayce Washington said.
The City of Water Valley is has Class 5 Rating, dropping from a Class 7 to Class 6 in 2018 and to Class 5 in 2022. The Town of Coffeeville has a Class 7 Rating.
