Smiths Station Fire & Rescue recognized for improving fire protection

Efforts to improve fire protection in the Smiths Station Fire & Rescue may lead to lower fire insurance rates for homeowners, a fire official said.

For more than 20 years, the department has been rated 7/9 on Public Protection Classification by the Insurance Services Office, said Daniel Sexton, assistant fire chief of the all-volunteer department in Smiths Station, Ala. An investment in more equipment, fire stations and training has lowered the PPC to 5/5x.

“It’s taken us about the last three years to accumulate all the equipment and get the training they wanted,” Sexton said of the ISO. “They actually look at fire calls you have been to and how many people showed up. It’s kind of a report card except it’s different from the one in school. You want a lower number instead of a higher number.”

Because insurance companies used the score as criteria to determine rates, Sexton said homeowners may see a reduction in costs for fire insurance.

“The lower the score the fire department gets, the better it is for your insurance rate,” Sexton said. “ In most cases, our citizens would see a decrease in home insurance rates.”

Using No. 1 as perfect, the PPC score number system ranges from 1 to 10. Fewer than 1 percent of fire departments nationwide are able to earn the perfect score. Although the Columbus Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services is in a metropolitan city, Sexton said the city maintains an ISO rating of 2.

Sexton said the department would like to match Columbus or score a 3.

Fire Chief Joe Walden pointed to the department’s board of directors, officers, firefighters and support personnel in lowering the score. He also noted the score is a direct result of residents renewing the fire fee in 2008.

“We told the citizens in 2008 if they would invest and believe in us, we would work hard to lower this score and their insurance premiums,” Sexton said.

The fee allowed the department to increase its budget from $250,000 a year to $500,000. Millions of dollars have been spent on a ladder truck, fire engines, special hoses, other equipment and training. A ladder truck costs $700,000, two fire engines are $400,000 each and a new fire station was built.

“If they hadn’t renewed it, we were in danger of shutting the doors,” Sexton said.

Each year, the department is called to more than 2,100 calls for fires, emergency medical services, rescue and road hazards in an area that spans about 72 square miles and includes 32,000 residents. It includes Smiths Station and surrounding unincorporated areas of Lee County. The department has about 40 firefighters in which most are certified paramedics, emergency medical technicians or emergency medical responders.

The department’s entire budget is now funded from the fire fee but still small compared to cities like Columbus and Phenix City with millions invested in fire protection.

“We are running a city class department on a volunteer budget,” Sexton said. “That makes us extra proud. We’ve been able to do this for the citizens. We have done it on a shoe-string budget.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Smiths Station Fire & Rescue recognized for improving fire protection."