Property owners for one Eastern Carolina city could soon see lower property insurance bills thanks to improvements to their fire service rating. Washington will soon go from a class 5 rating to a class 3, according to the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
The change comes after a routine inspection by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
The ratings run from the best which is class 1, to the worst that is a class 10. A better rating means a fire department is better equipped to fight fires in their service area.
Among other things, the inspections look for proper staffing levels, sufficient equipment, proper maintenance of equipment, communications capabilities and availability of a water source.