A newly established fire rating zone protected by the District 3 Volunteer Fire Department should result in lower insurance rates for many residents.
The Mississippi State Rating Bureau recently lowered the District 3 rating from Class 10 to Class 7.
District 3 now joins Benton and Vaughan as volunteer fire departments in Yazoo County with a Class 7 rating.
Jack Willingham, Yazoo County’s Emergency Management director, said a lot of work went into securing the class seven rating.
“It’s based on a lot of factors, including what kind of equipment you have, the number of trained personnel, how many calls you get, the availability of water and other things,” Willingham said.
Willingham said the Yazoo County Board of Supervisors has invested in the new fire department in order to make it successful. A new fire station was recently completed on Old Benton Road near the County Barn.
One of the main things that has helped the department is the dedication of its volunteers.
“We have 60 volunteers on the role, and at least 25 of those are very active,” Willingham said. “All of our volunteers are involved, and we have some that you know are going to be answering just about every call.”
The District 3 Fire Protection District includes areas that are within five driving miles of the fire station (see map on page 5).
Willingham said that residents living within the boundaries of the fire protection district should check with their insurance agent to see if they are eligible for lower rates.
