Minutes 10-02-2014 Fire - Laserfiche WebLink

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Rural to contract with them to cover these areas. He said there are also three vacant lots at the end of Jo Mac Road. He said these do not have residences on them, so they are not a focus. He said there has been discussion about fire roads, which are two lane gravel connections between paved roads that are recognized by the N.C. Department of Insurance. He said this will allow some homes that are just beyond 5 miles to be put within 5 miles. Commissioner Rich asked if this will bring the 10 class rating down. Bill Waddell said anything beyond a 6 mile radius is a 10 rating. He said any properties between a 5 and 6 mile radius have a 9E rating. He said this is what most areas have been rated in the past. Commissioner Rich asked if this rating still correlates to a high insurance rate. Bill Waddell said yes. He said most of the fire departments in the County who have had inspections have brought down their ratings to a 7, and even a 6 in some cases. He said this cuts the insurance by at least 40 percent. He said the more homes within 5 miles, the less the insurance will be for those homeowners. Commissioner Rich asked what a normal rating would be. Bill Waddell said 3. He said from an insurance standpoint, a 3 is the same as a 5 for homeowners. Jason Shepherd said the best a homeowner can receive on insurance is a class 6 rating. He said ratings below this only benefit industrial type businesses. Jeff Cabe said insurance considers any property located more than 5 miles from a certified fire station to be a high risk. He said companies will give a break in insurance to properties that are within 5 miles of a station. He said fire departments go through a rigorous test that assigns them a risk classification that also affects the rate. Commissioner Rich asked about the difference in rate for a class 9 and a class 10. Jeff Cabe said most agencies won't write a 10. He said his house went down 40 percent on homeowners insurance when it went from a 9 to a 6. He said the shifts taking place do not affect the fire department rating, but they are intended to help reduce homeowner rates. Commissioner Rich asked if the station switches cost the fire department anything. Jeff Cabe said according to the County Attorney there has to be monetary compensation. He said the stations are meeting the letter of the law in this area. Phillip Nasseri, White Cross Fire Chief, said there are several homes that are outside of 6 miles and several hundred that are between 5 and 6 miles in the eastern district. He said the second station will be complete on Neville Road by the end of the month, and it will give 237 homes up to a 40 percent reduction in rates. He said there are 32 addresses on the western side that are rural farmland, and he is working with Orange Grove to cover these, which should give them at least a 9E rating or better. He said everyone is already going to these parcels, but the hope is that these shifts will give homeowners a better rate. Bill Waddell said they are working with White Cross on these issues. He said there is one road with a few homes that will be beyond 6 miles from either station. Jeff Cabe said they have pockets like this as well, and the roadway infrastructure contributes heavily to this issue. Commissioner Rich asked if homeowners who sell these homes have to tell new buyers about the rating or fire situation. Jeff Cabe said the information is public record, but he doubts many people know to ask about it. Tony Blake said re-drawing the lines is part of the equation, but the other part is making sure that EMS dispatches the primary department first. He asked if this information has been updated. Jeff Cabe said no lines are being moved, so nothing changes on the run cards.