Nokomis Residents Receive Lower Fire Insurance Rating, Better Protection

July 23, 2014

The Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department has received an improved  fire protection class rating which will translate to lower homeowner’s insurance premiums for hundreds of households.

The Insurance Services Office (ISO) recently notified the department that their new rating is a 5/5X, significant fire rating decrease from their previous 7/9. The new rating drops by two classifications for homes within 1,000 feet of a hydrant and drops fiyr classifications for homes outside the required distance from a hydrant.

Assistant Fire Chief Chris McGhee said many municipal, full-time fire departments are a Class 5. The lower ratings, he said, are based upon numerous factors, including water supply, equipment, number of firefighters and more.

The new ISO classification will take effect on October 1.

According to an example provided by the fire department, sample insurance premium on a $200,000 home would be $1,252 at a Class 9, but in the new Class 5X rating the premium would be $690, a savings for the homeowner of $562.

The Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department responds to an average of 60 calls a year with 15 volunteer firefighters in a district that begins just west of the Atmore Country Club and continues to the Baldwin County line, north to Doyle Hadley Road and south to the Alabama/Florida line — and area with about 400 residences.

An agreement between Escambia County, FL, and Nokomis calls for the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department to automatically be dispatched to certain emergencies in a portion of the Walnut Hill fire district, and for Walnut Hill to be automatically dispatched to certain types of calls, such as structure fires, in Nokomis, AL.

The Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department’s “Squirt 24″ was formerly “Truck 5″ in Century. After the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue received a refurbished  75-foot ladder truck that was formerly assigned to Ensley, “Truck 5″ was put up for auction and purchased by the Nokomis VFD for $5,000.

“We are completely volunteer and have to raise our own support,” Nokoms Fire Chief Eddie Odom said. “There is always a need for funds and we hope that homeowners will step up and
contribute to the fire department, especially with the extra savings they will enjoy as a result of our efforts. A fund raising effort is underway now to expand the small fire station so we can receive a much needed 1,250 gallon per minute pumper that was donated from the City of Atmore but we have no room to house the truck. It’s not just the building that we need financial assistance with. The cost of keeping our firefighters equipped and trained is expensive just as diesel, parts, maintenance and building upkeep are. Now more than ever, we need homeowners and property owners to support us financially.”

Board member and Nokomis Fire Captain Jerry Gehman says many departments across the America ask for $95 to $125 per household as a general rule of funding annually. Many communities pay a “fire tax” around the same amount.

Contributions can be mailed to the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 727, Atmore, AL  36502.

Pictured:  Operating under new mutual aid agreement, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department held a combined training exercise last year in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

One Response to “Nokomis Residents Receive Lower Fire Insurance Rating, Better Protection”

  1. Elmo on July 23rd, 2014 9:40 am

    Congrats! Way to go!! I know that this required a lot of hard work. Just keep in mind that many insurance company’s now-a-day consider ISO ratings as a very minute part of your insurance premium. Statistics play a much larger part. ISO ratings may be going away. Check with your insurance carrier. Lower ISO ratings do help with premiums but not like in the past.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News