Fire Station 17 Area Homeowners Could See Drop in Insurance Rates

By Alyssa Schnugg
Staff writer
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Residents living near the new Fire Station 17 in Lafayette County might soon see a decrease in their fire insurance premiums.

On Monday, the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approved annexing several miles of land near the Highlands and Tuscan Hill subdivisions into the Central Grading Fire District.
A public hearing was held before the vote; however, no one spoke for or against the annexation.
Property in the county outside of a fire district generally has a 10 fire rating. Ratings are from 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst. The Central Grading Fire District currently has a 7 rating.
“This is very significant,” said Supervisor Kevin Frye. “This could potentially impact people’s insurance rates by hundreds of dollars. I think this is something we should be really excited about and proud of.”
The new fire station opened in June which allowed the county to move forward with annexing it into the fire district.
Lafayette County Fire Coordinator Wes Anderson said after the minutes of Monday’s meeting are approved at the next regular board meeting, he will send the paperwork off to the Mississippi State Rating Bureau in Jackson for approval.
“I can’t promise anything but there may be some insurance reductions,” he told the board Monday.
The majority of the fire rating issued by the MSRB is based on the fire department’s overall efficiency. Water supply availability, the condition of hydrants, communication systems are all also considered.