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a. Resolution of Recoqnition for Volunteer Fire Departments in Oranqe <br /> County for Reducinq Homeowners' Fire Insurance Costs <br /> The Board considered adopting a resolution to recognize the Volunteer Fire <br /> Departments in Orange County for their diligent efforts in reducing homeowners' fire insurance <br /> costs. <br /> Commissioner McKee read the resolution: <br /> Res. 2012-88 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> RESOLUTION OF RECOGNITION FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN ORANGE <br /> COUNTY FOR <br /> REDUCING HOMEOWNERS' FIRE INSURANCE COSTS <br /> WHEREAS, fire insurance for homeowners and businesses is impacted by the capabilities of <br /> the local fire department covering the structures, including the distance from the <br /> fire station; and <br /> WHEREAS, in recent years, insurance companies have used new mapping technology to <br /> determine a more exact distance from a fire station to an insured structure <br /> causing a rise in premiums for some homeowners; and <br /> WHEREAS, insurance premiums for both residential and commercial structures can be <br /> impacted by multiple variables, including the ISO (Insurance Services Office) <br /> rating of the primary fire department covering a home or business; and <br /> WHEREAS, many fire departments in Orange County have aggressively worked to reduce fire <br /> insurance costs for home and property owners by improving ISO ratings and/or <br /> building new stations to cover structures that were previously beyond six (6) <br /> miles from a station; and <br /> WHEREAS, the ISO inspection, conducted by officials with the North Carolina Department of <br /> Insurance, Office of State Fire Marshal, looks for proper documentation and/or <br /> demonstration for staffing levels, sufficient firefighting equipment, proper <br /> maintenance of equipment, 9-1-1 communications capabilities and availability of <br /> water sources; and <br /> WHEREAS, fire departments, through mutual aid agreements, assist each other, including <br /> working together to demonstrate water haul capabilities during ISO evaluation; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County is covered by 12 fire departments — Efland, Eno, New Hope, <br /> Orange Grove, Cedar Grove, Caldwell, and White Cross fire departments cover <br /> rural districts; Orange Rural (Hillsborough), Chapel Hill and Carrboro fire <br />