| Most insurance companies assign a risk rating to property based on how far it is to the nearest hydrant and fire station. Properties within 1,000 ft of a hydrant are considered to be at a lower risk of suffering a total loss from fire. Likewise, if the property is within five road miles of a fire station the expectation is that there will be less of a possibility for a total loss. Reductions in loss estimates result in better insurance ratings and lower premiums. You can usually find your rating by looking for the "PPC" code or Public Protection Classisfication in your policy paperwork.
We at Orange Rural have been working for many years to bring everyone in our district to within five road miles of a fire station. By adding two stations and working with neighboring ditricts, we've greatly reduced the numbers of homes and businesses that are outside the five mile range.
Though we can't install a municipal water system throughout the district, we have made response changes and created a Tanker Task Force to address areas with large structures and limited water availability. The Task Force consists of eight tanker trucks averaging 2,000 gallons each and two fire engines for refilling the trucks from ponds and lakes.
Coupling these changes with our goal of having a fire truck on the way within 90 seconds of dispatch and our amazing staff we feel that we are providing the best possible fire attack solutions. Getting support in fire prevention efforts from our citizens helps to reduce the numbers of times devastating fires occur.
It takes all of us working together to make our towns and communities safe places to live, work and play.
We'll be opening the last of our four stations this spring and hope to see everyone there. |
