Officials from the State of Mississippi, Stone County and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College gathered at the Perkinston campus of MGCCC Monday to publicly announce the formation of a new fire rating district.
The South Central Stone County Fire Protection Grading District is made up of the Perkinston and McHenry Volunteer Fire Departments and has achieved an Eighth Class insurance rating from the Mississippi State Rating Bureau.
District 3 Supervisor Lance Pearson said he was pleased to know homeowners in the new district would receive as much as a 34 percent reduction in fire insurance with the new rating.
“This is a start and I want to encourage the residents in other areas of my district to work together to achieve the same thing for their fire departments,” he said. “If the Magnolia and Silver Run communities will support their volunteer fire departments, Lord willing, the same thing will happen there.”
Pearson said a community could not give too much support to the volunteers who put themselves at risk to assist homeowners as well as business owners.
“Whether it’s financial support or moral support, these firefighters are people who do this out of the goodness of their hearts to help keep their fellow citizens safe,” he said.
Mike Chaney, State Insurance Commissioner, Larry Barr, State Fire Coordinator and Ty Windam, State Rating Bureau Director, joined the Supervisors along with Stone County Fire Coordinator Cathy Garner and Perkinston Station Fire Chief Kevin Brignac joined MGCCC President Willis Lott and Vice-President Mary Graham for the announcement.
“This means better fire protection and that translates to better insurance rates,” Lott said. “I’m pleased, not only for the college, but for all the homeowners in the district as well.”
Board of Supervisors President Dale Bond said the new rating was evidence of what people working together could achieve.
“With all the volunteers coming together to get that eight rating, it’s definitely a big help to Stone County,” he said.
