[This is a joint press release with the Town of Knightdale.]

Some businesses in Knightdale could see a decrease in fire insurance premiums thanks to improved ratings by the North Carolina Department of Insurance/Office of State Fire Marshal.

After a three-month review, Commissioner of Insurance Mike Causey today announced that the Knightdale Fire Department has advanced its fire rating from 3 to 2. Out of the 12 municipal fire departments in Wake County, 11 have an ISO score of 2 or below.

“We’re extremely proud of the Knightdale Fire Department,” said Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Sig Hutchinson. “We continue to see our local fire departments raise their ratings, which means we’re meeting our goal of providing the best public safety services possible to our residents.”

Insurance companies use these ratings to determine how much they’ll charge to insure businesses, so improvements can mean significant savings for commercial structures.

“Achieving a Class 2 ISO rating is a validation of the hard work of all those involved in the rating system,” said Knightdale Fire Chief Loren Cone. “I appreciate our partners at Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications and the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department who were instrumental in helping us secure the rating. Most importantly, I am truly humbled by the dedication of the men and women of the Knightdale Fire Department.”

The Alert Fire District, the unincorporated area served by the Knightdale Fire Department, maintained its 3 rating. It’s one of eight Wake County departments serving an unincorporated area to receive such a grade.

“This is a great accomplishment for members of the Knightdale Fire Department,” said Darrell Alford, director of Wake County Fire Services. “A strong partnership between Wake County and the Town of Knightdale enables us to provide a high level of emergency services for residents within the town and county districts.”

The Knightdale Fire Department and Eastern Wake Fire Rescue merged in 2020. The department provides fire protection services to the nearly 40,000 residents of the Town of Knightdale and the Alert Fire District. Services are provided from three strategically placed fire stations, with a fourth fire station planned to open in 2022 at 1325 Hodge Road.

The North Carolina Response Rating System’s scale ranges from one (highest) to 10 (not recognized as a certified fire department by the state). While any rating does not necessarily indicate poor service, a more favorable rating does suggest that a department is better equipped overall to respond to fires — and therefore can result in lower insurance rates in that district.

The inspection, which is required by the state on a regular basis, looks for proper staffing levels, sufficient equipment, proper maintenance of equipment, communications capabilities and availability of a water source. State law requires OSFM officials to inspect departments serving districts of 100,000 people or fewer.

Business owners in the town and county areas could see reduced insurance premiums based on these new scores by March 2022.