Joyce Hanz
The Valley News-Dispatch, Tarentum, Pa.
(TNS)

Mar. 7—Sometimes less is more.

Especially when it comes to ISO fire safety ratings.

Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief John Foster hopes to reduce the company’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating from a 6 to a lower number, after receiving a one-point increase during the last ISO inspection in 2020. The lower the number the better the rating.

“We had a 5 and they downgraded us to a 6, primarily based on the age of our equipment and procedures,” Foster said.

The Insurance Services Office is an independent, for-profit organization. Its scores result in a Public Protection Classification on a scale of 1 to 10, and those resultscan impact homeowners.

Insurance providers consider the ISO’s ratings, which measure a community’s fire preparedness in case of an emergency.

They use the score to help them determine home insurance rates because a home that is less likely to be severely damaged by fire is cheaper to insure.

The downgrade in the rating means Leechburg residents are paying about $35 per year, per resident, Foster said.

Foster said the majority of the equipment used by his firefighters is more than 60 years old, and its age is becoming a detriment to the ISO rating.

“I want to emphasize that the borough citizens were never in any danger,” he said. “Our equipment works; it’s just old and outdated, and it does affect ratings.”

The ISO rating evaluates municipal fire protection efforts in four key areas: emergency communications systems, water supply, community risk reduction and fire department effectiveness.

The ISO does not publicly release scores.

Council chips in Covid relief funds

Foster said it will cost $40,000 to upgrade the company’s fire equipment.

He asked Leechburg Council to donate $20,000 to the fire company for new equipment, which council unanimously approved Feb. 14.

“It’s tremendous,” Foster said. “We fundraise constantly. It’s an inside joke but true: We aren’t professional firefighters; we’re professional fundraisers.

“We’re fortunate to have the support and generosity from the borough. The community does support us very well.”

Foster said he is concerned the outdated equipment is an accident waiting to happen.

“We’re at the point where an ax could fly off the handle, fly through the air, hit somebody in the head and split their head open,” he said.

Leechburg Mayor Tony Roppolo reassured Leechburg residents that fire equipment safety is a priority and the new equipment upgrade is necessary.

“I am fine with it. It’s for the betterment for the entire community, and it will help our insurance coverage premiums,” Roppolo said.

The donated funds will come from the borough’s covid-19 pandemic relief fund.

“Covid funds are for the people, and this will help the people,” Roppolo said.

Foster said the new equipment is expected to be delivered in several weeks.

The old equipment will be donated to an organization that refurbishes fire equipment.

Foster said he is going to request a re-inspection this year because he doesn’t want to wait until the next evaluation, scheduled for 2024, to try to lower the ISO score.

“We’re trying to get our procedures and policies updated and written so we can do another inspection. I feel like we can get our rating down to a 4 with the new equipment,” he said.

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by emai

Lisa Backus
New Haven Register, Conn.
(TNS)

Mar. 8—NEW HAVEN — A city fire engine was struck by a car on Interstate 91 southbound near exit 7 while responding to an accident late Tuesday, state police said.

Preliminary information shows Troop I responded to in the area of I-91 near exit 7 for a motor vehicle accident involving a fire truck around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, Connecticut State Police Sgt. Christine Jeltema said.

It appears that troopers and the New Haven Fire Department were at a scene of a previous motor vehicle accident in the same area, Jeltema said.

No further information was immediately available Wednesday morning.

___

(c)2023 the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.)

Visit the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.) at www.nhregister.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Alachua County Fire Rescue invites the public to join them for the groundbreaking of a new fire rescue station on Friday, March 10, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at 10180 SW 24th Avenue in Gainesville, according to a news release.

The outdoor event will include comments from County Manager Michele Lieberman, Alachua County Commission Chair Anna Prizzia, and Fire Rescue Chief Harold Theus.

The station will house an Advanced Life Support Engine, which will allow Alachua County Fire Rescue to fill a critical gap and work with neighboring stations to improve service for Alachua County residents.

“The men and women of Alachua County Fire Rescue are excited to be a part of these communities and look forward to enhancing the level of service with quicker response times in this growing area,” said Fire Chief Harold Theus.

For more information, contact Alachua County Communications Director Mark Sexton at 352-264-6979 or msexton@alachuacounty.us.

The Statesville City Council Monday unanimously agreed to use $5 million from the fund balance and borrow $2 million to cover a large portion of the cost of construction of the new Fire Station 1, iredellfreenews.com reported.

Site work has begun on the 26,000-square-foot facility near the intersection of Wilson W. Lee Boulevard and Charlotte Avenue. The total cost of the project, including IT work and furnishings, is estimated at $14.8 million, the report said.

The remaining $7.8 million is being paid for with $7.1 million in ARPA funds and a previous allocation by council of about $600,000, according to the report.

Prior to Monday’s vote, a city official advised council that the $2 million loan for the fire station likely would be bundled with a loan for the new city garage and warehouse, the report said. City officials expect to receive bids on the garage/warehouse project in early May.