Groveland Twp.- Since 2001 the township fire department has stepped up protection for residents. Their efforts may soon pay dividends.
Steve McGee, township fire chief says a combination of strategically placed fire hydrants, fire stations, and updated equipment should qualify the township for a lower ISO rating prompting lower house insurance rates for residents.
‘It’s now up to the ISO evaluation, basically we’re getting audited,? said McGee. ‘It’s been a huge project. The by-product for residents is getting a much improved fire department.?
The ISO, International Organization for Standardization, is a network of the national standards institutes of 156 countries making a framework, or a common technological language, between suppliers and their customers. In the case of fire departments like, Groveland Township, the ISO provides a set standardizations for fire protection.
The ISO scale for fire protection ranges from 10 to one, the lower the number the greater the fire protection. Currently Groveland Township is ISO rating is nine, however, McGee did not speculate how much lower the rating will drop following the evaluation. In comparison, much of Brandon Township ISO rating is eight or nine depending on the location within the township and the insurance company.
McGee added that costs have remained constant through the lengthy project. Currently, township residents pay 3.5 mills for fire protection, or $350 each year in taxes for a $200,000 home.
The saving from a lower ISO rating for residents will vary say insurance agents.
‘A few hundred in savings could be realized, ranging from $100 to $150 less per year,? said Ann Kuklinsky, from Horton-Renn Insurance Agency, 1839 M-15, Ortonville. ‘The savings from a lower ISO number is based on the premiums and the amount of coverage.?
Chris Harrington, an agent for Brandon Underwriters, 422 Mill St., Ortonville, says once the new ISO rating is determined, homeowners need to contact their insurance company.
‘Every insurance company is different when you go from an ISO of nine to an eight,? said Harrington.
‘There will be a decrease but it will depend on the amount of coverage, there’s too many factors to speculate.?
At a cost of $20,000 to $25,000 each, McGee says currently self-contained fire protection wells are installed, planned or under construction around the township. The township is funding five wells with two completed and three more under construction. In addition, three wells are located in subdivisions and four more are proposed for new developments, all are funded by the property owner. A commercial area has one well funded by the business owner.
In addition to self-contained fire protection wells McGee says key in the ISO process is the availability of water, including certified lakes or ponds that can be used to draw from in the event of a fire.
‘We have 10 bodies of water in the township that qualify for sources of standing bodies,? said McGee. ‘Firefighters are within two miles in the township of a water source.?
Groveland Township Fire Department includes five full time firefighters and 47 part-time. Two tanker trucks, one equipment truck, one brush fire truck, four life support vehicles. The department services 2,200 households and 60 business within the township with a population of about 6,200 residents.
Township residents are no more than two miles from our township fire stations, says McGee.
McGee said the costs for the lower ISO rating in Groveland Township was minimal.
‘We supplement full-time firefighter staff at fire stations with part-time firefighters, curb costs by charging Holly residents with ambulance services and charging more for non-residents ambulance services.?
McGee says the township also serves an additional 85,000 vehicles that travel I-75 each day. Seasonal visitors to the township includes about 20,000 to the Renaissance Festival during late summer, about 5,000 to Mt. Holly ski resort and about 2,000 to parks.