A recent insurance risk audit of Gilmer County is causing some insurance premiums to go up, while others may stay the same or improve.
“Every five years we go through an ISO (Insurance Services Office Inc.) rating,” said Gilmer County Fire Chief Daniel Kauffman. “It is a very thorough process you go through.”
Auditors look at training, staffing, equipment, testing info and water availability.
This audit, Gilmer County Fire and Rescue improved its rating.
“We went from 6/10 to 5/5x,” he said. “In every category we improved.”
Kauffman said the county increased the number of fire hydrants from 421 to 737, a 75 percent increase.
Gilmer County Fire is considered a rural fire department.
“So a five is very good,” said Kauffman.
He expects the department will hit a four next year.
In rural parts of the county, the insurance rates are going up, though, because of the lack of fire hydrants and water available.
During past audits, the distance a home was from a fire station helped lower the rating. During this audit, the availability of water was factored into the equation.
Residents who live within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant get the benefit of the five rating for Gilmer County Fire and Rescue. Everyone else will be under the 5x rate which is basically a nine in the old scoring system.
“It stinks because we improved overall,” said Kauffman. “The water is the issue that affects us.”
Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris said he has been hearing from residents about the rate change.
“I’ve been told that [fire hydrant requirement] has always been in there, but they finally decided to enforce it,” he said. “We’re trying to find if there is a way to mitigate this. We’re looking at everything, but the problem is getting water to the houses.”
Paris said one possibility the county is assessing is buying more tankers to provide water for firefighting in the rural parts of the county.
“It is a problem related to our geography and rural nature,” he said.
Paris said he wants to hold a town hall meeting for Gilmer County residents to answer questions.
“I don’t blame people with what they are being told or reading on social media, but it may be less than worthless,” he said. “Social media is not noted for accuracy.”
Now that the primary election is finished, Paris said the town hall should be set up in the near future.
“We are going to have a town hall meeting, and the fire department will be there,” he said. “We’re trying to put that all together right now.”