The Sumrall Volunteer Fire Department has improved its fire rating to a 7, which should mean savings in insurance premiums for local residents and business owners, Mayor Heath Sumrall said Tuesday,
Sumrall, who was fire chief before being elected mayor last year, said the fire rating will show a financial reward.
“We’re proud of the new rating,” he said. “I’m just guessing, but I believe it will save the average homeowner between $200 and $400 each year in insurance. We’ve got some one insurance men on the Board of Aldermen, and one of them told me it would save him $350. For businesses, I think there will be bigger savings.”
Sumrall said manpower, water supply and training are the three biggest components to improving a fire district’s rating.
“Right now, we need more people in the station,” he said. “We are fortunate that every one of our firefighters are professional. We have four paramedics on the roster. For the first time, we are also going to have a part-time firefighter who stays in the station. It’s been hard to get someone during the day, and we hope to add another one in the station as soon as we can.”
Sumrall said the volunteers have also improved their training hours, putting in at least 80 hours of classes during the year.
Sumrall’s rating improvement follows three other Lamar County fire protection districts that also increased their rating from an 8 to a 7 last October. Those districts are Southwest, Southeast and Oak Grove.
