The Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau (WSRB) has concluded its evaluation of Orcas Island’s fire protection capabilities for fire insurance rating, as reported by The Islands’ Sounder.
San Juan County Fire District 2, previously a Protection Class (PC) 6, has now been downgraded to a PC 7.
This new rating will be effective from October 1, 2024.
WSRB’s evaluation considered various factors, including the addition of new volunteer firefighters, the water systems on the island, the location of fire stations, the fire engines, tenders, and the training of firefighters.
Despite these updates, the new information did not suffice to retain the PC 6 rating.
The PC 7 rating will affect dwelling and commercial properties in communities with standard fire hydrant distribution and water supply within five road miles of certain fire stations.
Specifically, the stations are Fire Station 21 in Eastsound, 22 in Westsound, 23 in Rosario, 25 in Olga, and 27 in Doe Bay.
Properties outside these criteria will receive a different PC rating.
However, Station 24 in Deer Harbor and Station 26 in Orcas Landing do not meet the minimum criteria for a PC 7 rating.
These stations require six volunteer firefighters living within five road miles to meet the criteria.
Dwelling properties near these stations will have their ratings downgraded to PC 9 or 9A, depending on the proximity to the next closest recognized responding fire station.
Interim Fire Chief Chad Kimple stated: “Due to the aging fleet of fire apparatus, not enough volunteer firefighters, and not having a dedicated training officer have impacted our overall rating.”
Residents are advised to contact their insurance agents to understand the impact of the new PC rating on their insurance premiums.
The Protection Class ratings for individual properties can be obtained by calling WSRB Customer Service at 206-217-0101 or emailing customerservice@wsrb.com.
The detailed Protection Class Report is available online in the BOFC documents.
This report outlines the various items evaluated and the credit attained for each item.
It is important to note that the WSRB survey was conducted to gather information for determining a fire insurance-relevant Protection Class and not for property loss prevention or life safety purposes.
The evaluation criteria include standards from NFPA, ICC, and AWWA, approved by the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
