North Carolina Insurance Commissioner/State Fire Marshal Mike Causey has announced that the following fire departments have completed their routine inspection and have received the following fire insurance ratings: Bethany, 5/9E; Jacobs Creek, 6/9E; and Northwest Rockingham, 6/9E. The ratings go into effect on Nov. 1.
The fire departments previous ratings were: Bethany, 7/9E; Jacobs Creek, 8/9E; and Northwest Rockingham, 9E. The districts’ past five-mile travel from the fire station will remain a protection class 9E.
The inspection, conducted by officials with the Department of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal, is required on a regular basis as part of the North Carolina Response Rating System. Among other things, the routine inspections look for proper staffing levels, sufficient equipment (and proper maintenance of equipment), communications capabilities and available water source.
The NCRRS rating system ranges from a 1 (highest) to a 10 (lowest) rating with most rural department’s falling into the 9S category.