City Fire Department receives better rating from state inspectors

A positive state inspection of the Elizabeth City Fire Department could reduce the amount of money that homeowners and businesses in the city pay for fire insurance.

Fire Chief Chris Carver told City Council earlier this week that the state's inspection improved the city's fire rating, upgrading it from a Class 4 fire Insurance Services Office rating to a Class 3.

The state rating system ranges from 1 to 10 with one being the highest rating. The fire department was inspected late last year and insurance companies use the ratings when setting rates.

ISO ratings reflect how prepared a fire department is to handle fires and other emergencies and a lower rating could lower the price of insurance for both homes and businesses, Carver said.

He said in 2018 that there were only around 5,500 fire departments across the country that had a Class 3 rating or lower and there were only 307 fire departments in the state at Class 3 or less.

"I'm tickled to death to say that we went from a 4 to a 3," Carver said. "Very proud of that number. Most of them (insurance companies) take a hard look at what your ISO rating is."

Carver also told city officials that the fire department was very close to earning a Class 2 rating.

"We achieved 78.3 points and Class 3 is 70 to 79, so we were only 1½ points from being a Class 2," Carver said.

State law requires the state Department of Insurance's Office of the State Fire Marshal to inspect fire districts serving up to 100,000 people, which is all but 12 of the state's fire districts.

In a letter to Carver, state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey praised the city department on lowering the city's ISO rating. Causey also serves as the state's fire marshal.

"You deserve to brag a little about the expertise of your personnel, which saves homeowners money and most importantly makes their lives safer," Causey wrote to Carver. "The citizens should rest easy knowing they have a fine group of firefighters protecting them and their property in case of an emergency."

The state's inspection not only reviews the city fire department but also the city's water department for adequate pressure and the 911 Center.

Carver said the goal is to achieve a Class 2 rating the next time the state inspects the Fire Department.

"It's a lot to go through to get that 1½ points but we have already laid out some plans where we can improve the department," Carver said. "There are definitely areas where we can improve and we are always looking to improve."

Carver told City Council that the city does need additional firefighters and an additional fire station. He said a department the size of Elizabeth City should have 17 personnel at a fire scene but that currently it is putting a minimum 10 and a maximum of 13 firefighters on scene for the initial response for a structure fire.

"Now we are talking money," Carver said. "We are doing well with what we've got. But it is going to take additional personnel and as we get down it will take an additional station. It is going to take a team effort with the council and us."