Gastonia scores big in new fire protection rating

Gaston Gazette (Gastonia, NC)

March 07--Gastonia's commitment to fire protection has elevated the city to an even higher pedestal in the eyes of the experts.

State leaders this month bumped the Gastonia Fire Department up another notch in assessing how well it is positioned to fight and prevent fires across the area. The boost stands to pay dividends for businesses within the city, likely lowering insurance premiums beginning this summer.

Residential property owners already have the lowest premiums possible, thanks to the department's high rating.

"Having a fire service background ... this is huge," said Gastonia Mayor Walker Reid, a former Gastonia and Charlotte firefighter. "You will not know how huge it is until you see the difference you pay for mortgage insurance, rental insurance, as well as the businesses in this city."

The improvement from a Class 3 to a Class 2 rating has put Gastonia among the top 2 percent of fire departments in North Carolina, and among the top 3 percent in the United States. Local firefighters have strived to achieve the improved rating for upward of a decade.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal and the North Carolina Department of Insurance announced the new rating this month, following a citywide inspection. Gastonia was judged on its staffing levels, training, fire trucks and firefighting equipment, apparatus positioning, fire hydrant locations, adequacy of water flow and emergency communications capabilities.

Such reviews conclude with a department being given an Insurance Service Office rating, or ISO. The rating system ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best.

Gastonia has held a Class 3 rating for the last 23 years. The city Fire Department has been waiting for an opportunity to improve its standing, said Fire Chief Phil Welch.

"Typically, the state Fire Marshal's Office has a seven-year rotation where they go in and inspect the fire departments," he said. "Our last rating was 11 years ago, in 2007."

The ISO, which will take effect June 1, is one of the primary elements used by the insurance industry to calculate premiums. Of the 1,533 fire districts in North Carolina, only 12 earned a Class 1, while 17 (including Gastonia) secured a Class 2.

Welch recalled being a part of planning and preparations to improve Gastonia's classification eight years ago, when local officials visited other departments in the state for advice. Two years ago, a local committee began an even more concentrated effort on preparing for the state review.

"We've been expecting this for quite a while," he said.

The Gastonia Fire Department employs a total of 143 firefighters. North Carolina State Fire Marshal Mike Causey said local residents can take solace in having those men and women working for them.

"The citizens of Gastonia should rest easy knowing they have a fine group of firefighters protecting them and their property in case of an emergency," he said.

The Gastonia Fire Department is also one of only 21 fire departments in North Carolina that is internationally accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. Reid noted the improved fire protection rating stands to help the city attract new business and development.

You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or on Twitter @GazetteMike.

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