Fire district rating could reduce residents' insurance rates

By By Chris Allen Baker/staff writer
Jan. 23, 2002
Residents of Whynot, Causeyville and Vimville communities could see their homeowners' insurance rates drop about 25 percent after their fire district's rating improved.
Clarence Butler, Lauderdale County's fire coordinator, told county supervisors Tuesday that the Southeast Lauderdale Fire District's rating improved from Class 9 to Class 8 triggering a reduction in insurance rates.
District 5 Supervisor Ray Boswell offered to buy Butler a steak after the announcement. Boswell congratulated Butler and area firefighters on the accomplishment.
Fire districts are rated by the state on a scale of 1 through 10. The lower the number, the better the protection and, therefore, the lower the cost of fire insurance for residents.
Each time a fire district's rating drops one point, Butler said, insurance rates usually fall about 25 percent.
Boswell and Butler said the county has worked to improve the district's fire rating since it received a Class 9 rating in 1994. Butler said the district bought two trucks in 1995 and received another in 1998.
In the effort to get the new rating, Butler said the biggest changes made in the district included combining the three communities' separate volunteer fire departments into one.
More than 30 firefighters currently serve the district, he said.
County supervisors also hope to improve the fire rating for the Shucktown community. They hope to include the area in the Bailey Fire District, dropping Shucktown's rating to Class 8.