News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
More water, more volunteers and better training have translated into a better rating for the Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District from the Insurance Services Office (ISO).
The new rating of #6 (up from #8) should mean reduced fire insurance premiums for district residents, according to fire chief Chuck Cable. Residents should see their rates drop by an average of 15 to 25 percent, Cable said.
The boost in insurance rating is the crowning achievement of a five-year effort to upgrade equipment and staff in the Cloverdale Fire District.
According to Cable, the district has added two new 3,500-gallon water tenders since 1994, adding significantly to the district's ability to get water on fires.
"The bottom line is water flow capability," Cable said. "In our rural setting, we have to depend on a water shuttle from a water source to our fire."
Each tender carries a collapsible "Fold-a-tank" unit that creates a man-made pond. A tanker can dump its water into the Fold-a-tank and head to a water source for more. All the tanks connect to each other and drain from one to another to maintain a constant flow of water onto a fire.
"We can literally set it up anywhere in the district," Cable said. "In fact, we had to prove it in three different locations."
With three tenders, and water carried in fire engines, Cloverdale firefighters can go out on a fire armed with about 13,000 gallons of water.
While water flow capacity is the most important element in an insurance rating.
Cloverdale has a steady roster of 20 volunteers, trained and certified by the state, and they have very high rates of response to calls, which is also an important criteria in determining an insurance rating.
Cable is gratified by the dedication of his volunteers.
An average of 16-18 out of the 20 volunteers will turn out on any given drill.
"That's a very high attendance rate on routine fire drills," Cable said.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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