COLUMBIA, Mich. (WDAM) – Good news for many residents and businesses in the City of Columbia.
The city received a new official fire rating from the state of Mississippi. This could mean lower premiums, especially for business owners.
Fire rating is like a golf score: the lower the number, the better.
“The lower the classification, the better rates the public can see,” said Columbia Fire Department Chief Lyle Berard.
And the city of Columbia received a fairly low score from the Mississippi Rating Bureau, Berard said.
The agency lowered the city’s official fire rating from Class 5 to Class 4.
This rating is based on research conducted not only on the city’s fire department, but also on other city services.
“They come every five years and look at how the department is functioning and provide a classification,” Berard said. “They are also looking at other departments within the city, the water department, dispatch, law enforcement and other similar agencies.”
Berard said the additional training opportunities are a big factor in earning better and lower grades.
“I think the big thing is that we’ve added a training facility here and now we can log our training hours at that facility,” Berard said. “Live ammunition can now be used to carry out incineration, and the city’s water system has also been improved.
“We were able to add larger diameter hoses to the truck and make many other equipment improvements, including an I-pad on the truck, a mapping system for fire hydrants, and mid-call access. .”
The reduction from Class 5 to Class 4 could be particularly good for business owners.
“Typically, residential rates are about the same between Classes 1 and 6, but commercial rates are significantly lower,” said Shelter Insurance Agent Greg Robbins. “So we expect consumers to have more purchasing power because businesses won’t have to pay as much.”
Steady progress has become the norm at Columbia Fire Department these days.
Ten years ago, the City of Columbia had a Class 6 fire rating. Five years ago, that rating improved to class 5.
Five years later, a better-trained and better-equipped department won a new promotion despite receiving a lower rating.
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