Firefighters' ratings rise on evaluation

The fire department is raising money to buy ice rescue equipment.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
LAKE MILTON -- Thanks to the Milton Township Volunteer Fire Department's recent favorable evaluation, residents and businesses may be seeing a decrease in their fire insurance premiums.
Fire Chief Rick Pellin said at Tuesday's trustees meeting that his department underwent its first ratings evaluation by the Insurance Service Office to determine its effectiveness in fighting fires. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best, the department's ISO rating had been a 9 for areas without fire hydrants, typical of small, rural departments, Pellin explained, and a 7 in areas with hydrants. After the three-day process, the ratings improved to 8b in areas without fire hydrants and 5 in areas with hydrants.
Fire officials said that as new waterlines and hydrants are installed throughout much of the township, ratings for those areas will move from the 8b rating to the 5 rating.
The highest-rated departments in Mahoning County have marks of 4, Pellin noted.
Money savings
As a result, homeowners and businesses stand to save money, depending on their insurance carriers, he said. Pellin was unable to provide figures.
Fire Capt. Kevin Read outlined the benefits of rescue equipment the department is trying to raise money to buy. The fire department wants to come up with $5,000 to buy a package that includes a pontoon and platform, rope and protective clothing to more efficiently perform rescues on ice, Read noted.
The equipment is needed because Lake Milton is becoming more popular for year-round recreation, thus increasing the likelihood of someone falling through thin ice, Read said. In the summer, the equipment can be used to perform shallow-water rescues, he added.
Trustee Al Baker announced that officials will be opening bids for paving and widening of Ohio Drive at their next meeting, set for 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Town Hall building, 15990 Milton Ave.