CENTRAL PIERCE’S FIRE SERVICES RATED

Central Pierce Fire & Rescue was recently notified by the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau (WSRB) that the district has achieved a Class 3 insurance rating. The WSRB evaluates all Washington communities for their fire protection/suppression capabilities and assigns a rating (on a scale of 1-10; 1 being best and 10 being worst).

According to Assistant Chief Baron Banks, “The fire department itself comprises about 40 percent of the evaluation, with the remaining 60 percent made up of other factors, including water supplies, 911 communications and dispatch, fire code enforcement, climate, and geographic features.” Only fire suppression related capabilities are evaluated; the rating has nothing to do with emergency medical services.

Once WSRB has determined a community’s new classification, insurance companies are notified and may begin using the new classification. When a community improves its classification, there is often a corresponding savings in a property owner’s insurance premium. However, insurance companies are not required to follow WSRB’s recommendations. Also, while the district has an overall Class 3 classification, there may be variations for specific properties, depending on distance from a fire hydrant or fire station.

“Anyone who wants to know how a change or potential change in their community’s classification could affect their premiums should contact their insurance agent,” according to Banks.

The unincorporated area of CPFR was rated in 2008 and improved at that time from a Class 4 to a Class 3. Following the merger with the City of Puyallup, which was a Class 4, and Fire District #11 (North Puyallup), which was a Class 6, the district was re-rated. Now, the entire area served by Central Pierce is a Class 3. The new changes will go into effect in February 2011.