Brookhaven’s fire protection rating was recently upgraded, meaning residents should see lower property insurance rates.

A recent survey and grading of the city’s fire prevention and fire protection facilities by the Mississippi State Rating Bureau resulted in the city moving from a rating of Protection Class 6 to Protection Class 5, with PC 1 being the best and PC 10 being the worst classification for fire protection.

According to the MS State Rating Bureau, the fire grading process is a complete survey of a municipality’s or legal district’s fire protection and prevention facilities and the physical conditions contributing to the spread of fire. The survey serves as a basis for fire insurance rate-making purposes.

Brookhaven Mayor Joe Cox said the improved classification has been a goal of his.

“I have been in the insurance business for over 30 years, one of my goals was to see the fire protection rating of Brookhaven improve,” Cox said. “So I am pleased to make this announcement regarding this change from PC 6 to PC 5. This will result in lower property insurance rates for the residents of our city.”

Tony Weeks, chief of the Brookhaven Fire Department, said in the 30 years he has been involved with the department the rating has been at a PC 6, so this is a big improvement that has been a long time coming.

“I’m pretty stoked about it; it’s a pretty big improvement,” Weeks said. “We’re trying to improve every way we can. Now that we’re at a 5 we can look at getting to a 4. There’s always room to improve.”

Weeks said the change is due to better training, better equipment and improvements on the water system.

The MS State Rating Bureau is a non-profit, incorporated fire insurance rating and engineering organization that establishes advisory rates which play a part in determining the cost of fire insurance. When surveying, the bureau starts with the water system to study its ability to furnish normal domestic and industrial demands and maintain a sufficient reserve for fighting fires. Then, the bureau checks the fire department, evaluating everything from the qualifications of the chief to the fire equipment and apparatuses. The grading schedule also covers a city’s emergency communications, digital record keeping and community risk prevention.

“Fire Chief Tony Weeks is to be commended for his commitment to continued firefighter training and proper fire fighting equipment, as well as the city water department, which maintains a safe and reliable water supply with adequate pressure,” Cox said.

Insurance companies use the protection classification in the calculation of individual rates on many classes of properties.

“The aims of the insurance companies are identical to yours, namely, to cut down the number of lives lost in fires and to reduce the huge annual fire losses of the nation,” the MS State Rating Bureau has said in publications about the grading system. “Not only do fires rob a community of its income and productive capacity, but they also determine the ultimate cost of fire insurance. It is in our common interest that the fire defenses of your community be strong, and our reports are aimed at helping you to make them so.”

The classification rating change has been confirmed effective May 5, and Cox said any insurance contracts covering dwellings located in the city may be endorsed from May 5 on a pro-rata basis to take advantage of the lower rates.