Raising St. Rose’s fire rating means improved protection, as well as lower homeowner’s insurance premiums.
“We’ve been working on this about seven years,” said Paul Hymel, fire chief of the St. Rose Volunteer Fire Department. “It makes you train better, improve response to structural fires and fire alarms. Your response time from the call to when you get on the scene … we improved it tremendously.”
The area’s District 5 rating improved from Class 4 to Class 3, which Hymel roughly estimated could translate to an estimated $50 a year savings on homeowner’s insurance premiums depending on property value.
The Property Insurance Association of Louisiana issues fire protection ratings of 1 (best) to 10 (lowest). It is mostly based on the fire department, but Hymel said it also factors in the area water department and 911.
“Every time you drop a point you have savings in fire insurance through the homeowner’s policy,” he said. “That saves the homeowner money when we do good.”
Hymel said the department also received a $170,000 federal grant to get 30 new air packs.
Parish President Larry Cochran, who served as the fire department’s chief for more than 20 years, praised the improved rating. Hymel took over as chief in 2009.
“This is really a milestone for the fire department,” Cochran said. “I’m very proud to give this [proclamation] to the St. Rose Fire Department.”
Under Cochran, the district fire rating also rose from Class 6 to Class 4.
Last year, the St. Rose Volunteer Fire Department responded to 410 calls, including six structural fires and nearly 100 fire alarms.
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