The Insurance Services Office, located in Marlton, N.J., has notified the Board of Directors of the North Jenkins County Fire Department (NJCVFD) that the department’s Public Protection Classification has improved to an ISO Class 5.

ISO’s Public Protection Classification Program (PPC) plays an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies. In fact, most U.S. insurers use PPC information as part of their decision making when deciding what business to write, coverage’s to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance.

Each insurance company independently determines the premiums it charges its policyholders. The way an insurer uses the ISO’s information on public fire protection may depend on several things: the company’s fire loss experience, ratemaking methodology, underwriting guidelines, and its marketing strategy. Citizens should contact their individual agent for premium quotes.

This rate reduction results from a recent inspection and survey conducted by ISOs PPC unit. The survey is based upon Fire Apparatus & Equipment; Station Distribution; Firefighter Training; and Water Supply.

North Jenkins has Four stations, Five Engines, Four Brush Trucks, Three Tankers (1000 gallon Capacity) and One Tender (3000 gallon capacity.) The department also has a Service/ Rehab unit which is available countywide.

The department maintains dedicated training facilities which include a fully-equipped classroom; 10,000 gallon drafting pit for testing pumps, a vehicle and dumpster fire simulator, a steel structure- fire building, with plans for a three-story ladder training tower, and flammable liquids pit. The department maintains a video and reference library for firefighter training.

Jenkins County volunteer firefighters maintain 60 dedicated dry hydrants located in ponds throughout the county. These hydrants provide immediate water supplies during a fire, and bring additional premium reductions to insurance policy holders.

North Jenkins participates in an automatic mutual aid agreement with the Jenkins County Volunteers. There are written mutual aid agreements among all the volunteer departments in the county.

In addition to providing better fire protection, the North Jenkins Board of Directors want to point out that the department and its dedicated volunteers have also brought substantial financial contributions to the people of the community. The department wrote and received AFG Grants for $425,000 for fire apparatus, equipment, protective clothing and breathing apparatus.

Thirteen of the department’s volunteers have obtained career positions with fire departments and EMS services outside Jenkins County. They continue to live here and bring approximately $395,000 home to spend locally.

The recent ISO Classification of Class 5 brings those in the unincorporated areas inline with premium rates paid by those within the city of Millen. With a possible 30-40 percent premium reduction (based upon the insurance carrier) the additional savings parley into addition money in the pockets of rural families.

North Jenkins Fire Chief Wally Sasser commented, “I attribute these accomplishments to our volunteer firefighters, and their dedication to the community. I sincerely thank the families of these volunteers for their understanding and continued support for these men and women. ”

“As President of the Board of Directors, I want to express my appreciation to the volunteers, the people of our community, our brothers and sisters in the fire service and to our Lord for all of these blessings,” Mike Lane, president, North Jenkins Board of Directors.