Union Township switches primary fire departments to keep homeowners from losing insurance

A new, lower insurance rating of the Elrama Volunteer Fire Company is creating problems for homeowners in Union Township, prompting action from the board of supervisors.

Some residents are losing their homeowner's insurance while others can't sell their homes due to the low ISO assessment of the Elrama company. ISO, or Insurance Services Office, provides scores on how prepared a community is for fires.

On Thursday, the supervisors designated Finleyville as the primary provider in the township, replacing Elrama in that capacity. The departments, located at opposite ends of the township, both have been serving the township, but until this week, Finleyville was considered a secondary provider.

Union Township supervisors made the move in an effort to keep township homeowners from losing their homeowners' insurance long-term.

"We still have both fire departments servicing Union Township," said Michalle Dupree, chair of the board of supervisors. "There's a lot of residents fighting over (insurance) rate increases. Then we have people who are considered high-risk, rental properties. Those people are being canceled. People who have gotten notices that it's going to be canceled are people who are landlords."

ISO scores range from one to 10, with one being the best. Elrama scored a 10.

"The definition of 10 is not having minimum requirements to meet the Fire Suppression Rating," Dupree explained Friday. "They didn't meet the minimum to be considered a fire department. It is a 10 because of the lack of data. It is assumed to be the worst-case scenario since there is no data to support that that isn't the case."

Elrama Chief Lenny Baker did not return a phone call Friday.

Four key areas are examined: communications systems; department personnel, capabilities, training and equipment; water supply, and community risk reduction. Scores are reported to the insurance companies and homeowners' insurance rates are based on those scores.

Dupree said the township was receiving a number of emails from residents with copies of letters they received from insurance companies threatening to cancel and stating they needed a letter from the Finleyville Fire Department stating that they also serve the community.

"(The insurance company) stated that Union Township is without a fire department company, hence the letters," Dupree said.

An ISO representative is expected to come to the township March 6 to test the fire hydrants and audit the Elrama VFC, but improving the rating could take six months.

"They will expedite and re-rate Elrama," Dupree said. "They complete the report. They update it, send out the redistribution to the insurance industry and write the report, but it takes more than six months."

Switching to Finleyville as the primary department reduces that time to about a month. Finleyville VFD can contact insurance companies to inform them that it is the primary department, which will permit home sales and prevent homeowners from losing their insurance.

Dupree said an ISO representative said many attempts were made over a number of years to reach the Elrama fire department.

However, Dupree is asking for sensitivity where the Elrama VFC is concerned.

"This was a heavy blow to them," she said. "It's a data thing. It's not that they don't have the equipment or the fire training or the fire pressure is not there. Without the data to prove it, it is assumed to be the worst-case scenario."

Dupree is appreciative that Finleyville is stepping in as the new primary fire department.

"They took on way more responsibility and made more work at zero extra money," she said. "They just offered to help."