The new year has brought positive changes to the La Conner Fire Department, including an improved fire protection rating that will lower fire insurance rates for residential and commercial properties. The department recently received an audit from the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau that evaluated the department’s fire protection capabilities. La Conner improved its classification from a 7 to a 6. “I think it’s great,” La Conner Fire Chief Josh Morrison said. “A lot of people get scared when they hear ‘audit,’ but it’s a great place to set goals for the fire department.”