The Walnut Cove Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad and South Stokes Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad have announced that effective Nov. 1, residents living within five miles of the South Stokes Volunteer Fire Department Station 19, located at 6624 N.C. Highway 8 South in Germanton, will benefit from a fire insurance rate reduction. Both departments along with the Stokes County Fire Marshal’s office have worked on methods to reduce insurance rates in this area over the past several years. The North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal’s office allowed Walnut Cove Fire department to be the test agency for a new automatic aid agreement in which the Boards of Director’s from both departments had to agree upon.