North Carolina Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey announced on Thursday that West End Fire and Rescue completed their routine inspection and received a rating of 3/9E effective July 1.
The inspection, conducted by officials with the Department of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM), is required regularly as part of the North Carolina Response Rating System (NCRRS). Among other things, the routine inspections look for proper staffing levels, sufficient equipment, proper maintenance of equipment, communications capabilities and availability of a water source.
The NCRRS rating system ranges from one (highest) to 10 (not recognized as a certified fire department by the state), with most rural departments falling into the 9S category. While lower ratings do not necessarily indicate poor service, a higher rating does suggest that a department is overall better equipped to respond to fires in its district. Higher ratings can also significantly lower homeowners insurance rates in that fire district.
“This is the combination of a lot of hard work from our paid staff, members, Board of Directors, and is only accomplished by the support of our community,” said West End Fire and Rescue Chief Erik Stromberg.
“I’d like to congratulate Chief Stromberg for the department’s performance and for the hard work of all the department members,” said Commissioner Causey. “The citizens in the Town of these districts should rest easy knowing they have a fine group of firefighters protecting them and their property in case of an emergency.”
State law requires OSFM officials to inspect departments serving districts of 100,000 people or less, which makes up all but 12 of the state’s fire districts.
Photo/Sandhills Setinel.
Contributed.
