MISSISSIPPI STATE RATING BUREAU

MUNICIPALITY OR LEGAL DISTRICT FIRE PROTECTION

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADING

NINTH CLASS

To be eligible for fire insurance grading, a community must be either incorporated as a municipality or be a legally defined district with definite legally defined boundaries under administration and authoritative political control of a municipality, county or the state or political subdivision thereof, as provided in (1) Section 21-25-21 and following or (2) Section 19-5-151 and following or (3) Section 19-5-215 and following of Mississippi statutes. A copy of the legal papers providing for a legal district, together with an appropriate map showing definite defined boundaries, shall be on file with the Mississippi State Rating Bureau.

The fire insurance grading classification of a municipality or legal district for fire insurance rating purposes is an intricate engineering procedure made up of many factors, among which are: The fire department, the water department, the fire alarm system, the fire prevention program, the building department and permit's department. A municipality's or legal district's fire insurance rating classification may range from Tenth Class as the highest fire insurance rating category, to First Class as the lowest fire insurance rating category. At the present time the lowest fire insurance rating category achieved in Mississippi is Third Class.

When a municipality or legal district has been graded for fire insurance rating purposes, and the municipality's or legal districts' resulting classification is less than Tenth Class, the grading is predicated upon all facilities being maintained in continuous operation inside the limits of the municipality or legal district. For instance, the fire department is considered as being fully and continuously available to fight fires which may occur inside the municipality or legal district. Should the fire department respond to areas outside the municipality's or legal district's limits, whether by contract or by practice, fire defense is weakened proportionately to such outside response. In order to maintain the level of the municipality's or legal district's fire insurance rating classification it then becomes necessary to increase fire department manpower and equipment in direct relationship to the overall response area. Failure to provide the needed manpower and equipment for the entire response area results in the down grading of a municipality's or legal district's fire defense, and the fire insurance rating classification is affected accordingly.

Following the incorporation of a community or creation of a legal district, other facilities needed for a grade of Ninth Class in lieu of Tenth class are as follows:

1.  A water system having at least 25,000 gallons of elevated storage and a well supply capable of maintaining  the tank full during periods of peak maximum domestic consumption. The water distribution system should consist of 6-inch and larger mains (4-inch recognized but not recommended) having properly located standard public fire hydrants and sectional gate valves.

• Property other than dwellings would need to be within 300 feet automobile travel distance from a  standard public fire hydrant in order to receive a Ninth Class rate. A standard public fire hydrant may briefly be described as a frost-proof hydrant having at least 2-2-1/2 inch outlets served by a fire main 4-inches or larger in size and capable of delivering not less that 200 gallons per minute at a residual pressure of 40 pounds per square inch at the hydrant inlet.
• As an alternative to the above, fire protection may be provided by a system utilizing carried water from various continuously available sources having constant accessibility, such that there is the capability of providing 250 gallons per minute of continual water delivery for a period of 1 hour within 5 minutes of the arrival of the first fire apparatus at the fire site. For further details refer to Exhibit A.

2.   An organized and actively training fire department consisting of a chief, assistant chief and ten or twelve other dependable members must be provided. Due to local circumstances and work schedules of the firefighters it might be necessary to increase the overall size of the department so that a minimum of eight or ten would respond to all structure fires. A minimum training program would consist of a 2-hour drill monthly, supplemented by an annual school held under an outside instructor. If possible, members should take advantage of local training sponsored by the State Fire Academy. For additional information on this respect contact Mr. Reggie Bell, Director, State Fire Academy, #1 Fire Academy USA, Jackson, Mississippi 39208.

• The Fire department should keep detailed records of all its activities of training and equipment testing and maintenance as well as records of fires.
• It may also be necessary to organize other fire companies depending on the area of the municipality or a legal district involved.
• Generally, the running distance from a fire station should not exceed 2 miles for built-up residential areas (up to 4 miles for scattered residential areas); running distance to built-up commercial areas should not exceed one mile,

3.  A minimum of 1,200 feet of 2-1/2-inch double jacket fire hose and 300 feet of 1-1/2-inch fire hose must be provided and maintained together with other equipment such as nozzles, wrenches and an ax. A reliable fire truck or minimum 1,000 gallon capacity tanker truck, equipped with at least 250 gallon per minute pump, should be provided for carrying hose and other equipment from the fire station to the scene of a fire. Each fire company should be similarly equipped.

4. A suitable means would be required to sound fire alarms. Generally this consists of a reliable paging system with telephones used to report fires. The telephone designated for receipt of alarms should have continuous attendance.

5. To improve protection it is highly desirable that modern codes controlling building construction, electric and gas installations and a fire prevention code be strictly enforced by the governing body. Complete records of the enforcement procedure would be needed.

The following figures are a representative comparison of annual fire premiums on a one or two family owner occupied dwelling with approved roof under unprotected or Tenth Class protection and under Ninth Class protection.

                                                             Construction                   Amount of Insurance                       10th Class              9th Class

                                                             Frame                                                     $10,000.                                         $161.13                         $100.32

                                                             Frame                                                     $25,000.                                         $370.08                         $230.67

                                                             Frame                                                     $40,000.                                         $579.03                         $361.02

                                                             Frame                                                     $55,000.                                         $787.98                         $491.37

                                                            Masonry                                                 $25,000.                                         $266.08                         $174.17

                                                            Masonry                                                 $40,000.                                         $412.63                         $270.62

                                                            Masonry                                                 $55,000.                                         $559.18                         $367.07

Should additional information be desired or particular questions need answers, we suggest that the Mississippi State Rating Bureau's Superintendent of Public Protection, Larry Carr, or Public Protection Field Rating Representatives, Richard Parham and Ty Windham be contacted at the following:

Mississippi State Rating Bureau

Post Office Box 5231

Jackson, Mississippi 39296-5231

Telephone Number (601) 981-2915

FAX (601) 981-2924

E-Mail: ppdept@msratingbureau.com




FIRE DISTRICTS

Mississippi has statutory provisions for the establishment of fire districts (Section 19-5-153 or 19-5-215 of the Mississippi Code, 1972). A petition for the incorporation of a fire district or grading district may be submitted to the county board of supervisors, signed by at least 25 owners of property who reside within the boundaries of the proposed district. At least 40 property owners must reside in the proposed district.

After the petition is presented to the board of supervisors, the board of supervisors will call a public hearing to solicit information from the community about the desirability of creating the fire district. The resolution will designate the name of the district, define its boundaries, and if applicable, state whether or not the board of supervisors will levy the tax authorized in Section 19-5-189, Mississippi Code of 1972, and whether or not the board of supervisors proposes to asses benefited properties as outlined in Section 19-5-191, Mississippi Code of 1972.

If 20 percent or 150, whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the proposed fire district present a written petition to the board of supervisors protesting the creation of the district, the board must call an election on the question of creation of the district. If no petition requiring an election is filed or if three-fifths of those voting in the election favor the creation of the district, then the board of supervisors can adopt a resolution creating the fire district.

The board of supervisors may levy a special tax on all of the taxable property of a fire district which can be used for the operation of the fire department or for the retirement of any bonds issued by the district used for purchasing equipment, buildings, or land, as outlined in Section 19-5-189, Mississippi Code.

However, if a Grading District is formed as per Section 19-5-215 no tax levy is in order, unless an existing Fire Protection District is dissolved and a Grading District is created consisting of identical boundaries as the previously existing Fire Protection District.