Starkville Fire Department announces lower fire rating
The Starkville Fire Department has officially joined the upper echelon of departments in the state of Mississippi.
On Monday, the department announced that the Mississippi State Rating Bureau had dropped the city’s fire rating to a Class 3, placing it in the top handful of paid, full-time fire departments in the state. Fire departments are rated on a scale of one to 10, with one being the highest. Departments are evaluated annually based on their manpower, equipment, training and other factors.
Fire Chief Charles Yarbrough explained the significance of the news during a ceremony held at SFD Station 1 Monday afternoon.
“The members of the Starkville Fire Department truly live out their motto ‘Service Above Self,’” Yarbrough said. “This improved rating validates the excellent service provided by the department and may have the added benefit to property owners of lowered insurance premiums.”
Yarbrough said the department had missed out on lowering its rating in 2017 due to all five stations not being manned at full capacity.
“The number one factor was we had to get manpower taken care of,” Yarbrough said. “We had to get a station fully staffed that was not when I got here five years ago. The board of aldermen
came in, they gave us the personnel to get that station staffed.”
He said getting hydrants repaired and maintaining sufficient water pressure was also a factor, and thanked Utilities Director Terry Kemp for his support. He also acknowledged the Oktibbeha County EMA and 911 staff for its role in lowering the rating.
“This was one of the first things I planned to have done, and this is a really big deal, and I’m excited about it and proud of it,” Yarbrough said.
Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill thanked the firefighters for their hard work, and said she remembered when the department went from a Class 5 to a Class 4.
“It’s just awesome and it means so
much to the community,” Spruill said. “I can’t say enough about what you guys have done. They have been showing their stuff in the last few weeks, and they did an incredible job when we had that tragedy in the trench, and now you guys have gotten it to a Class 3. It’s just wonderful, and I’m so very proud of everyone it took to get this done.”
Spruill also spoke to the potential economic impact of the lowered fire rating.
“Aside from all the personal pride we take in being the best, it should reduce (insurance) rates for businesses, and I think it will have an impact on residents’ home insurance as well,” Spruill said. “Anytime your fire rating goes down, which is a good thing, then your insurance rates have the potential of decreasing.”
Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty also spoke at the ceremony. Betty was heavily involved in working with the department
to achieve the lower rating.
“This whole entire department is in an elite class of fire departments in the state of Mississippi and throughout the Southeastern United States,” Beatty said. “We just couldn’t be prouder of them.”
He said the lower rating was a testament to the board’s commitment to public safety.
“It’s really a wonderful opportunity to be able to serve on the board and work with a first-class fire department and a first-class city government,” Beatty said.
Other Class 3 fire departments in Mississippi include those in Columbus, Jackson, Southaven and Biloxi. The Gulfport Fire Department is the state’s sole Class 2.
“I said today I’ll get back with the State Rating Bureau and find out what the next step they need to get us to a 2,” Yarbrough said.