The Leland Fire District has received a new rating from the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), indicating better community protection and resulting in lower insurance rates.
After completing its inspection, the Leland Fire District received a class 2 rating, which is an improvement from the district’s previous class 4 rating. The new rating will take effect on July 1, 2024.
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) fire rating system ranges from one (best) to 10 (not recognized as a certified fire department by the state). According to the OSFM, lower ratings suggest a department is overall better equipped to respond to fires in its district. Of more than 1,500 fire districts in North Carolina, only 118 are class 2 or better, putting the Leland Fire District in the state’s top 8%.
The ISO rating recognizes a community’s efforts to provide fire protection services for residents and property owners. The rating is used to help set insurance rates. The improved ISO rating shows the community's commitment to enhanced safety, which could be conducive to economic growth and stability in the community.
"The residents of the Leland Fire District can take comfort in knowing this highly capable team of firefighters from Leland Fire/Rescue is safeguarding them and their belongings in the event of an emergency," State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor said.
The OSFM conducts these required inspections every five years, looking for proper staffing levels, training, sufficient equipment, proper equipment maintenance, communications capabilities, and water source availability, among other things.
“We couldn’t have achieved this rating without the hard work and dedication of Leland Fire/Rescue’s firefighters and support personnel,” Leland Fire/Rescue Chief Ronnie Hayes said. “We’re extremely grateful to the Town Council, Town staff, and our mutual aid agencies, whose support helped us accomplish this, as well as the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office 911 Communications Division and H2GO, whose operations directly impact our rating.”
Leland Fire/Rescue protects and provides service to approximately 37,000 residents in a 60 square mile area including the Town of Leland, Belville, and parts of northern Brunswick County.
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