FENTON — The Jefferson Davis Parish Police Jury wants the state’s help to build a fire station to help improve fire ratings
in the Fenton area.
Police Juror Byron Buller asked that money for a station in Fire District 5 be added to the state’s capital outlay funding
request.
The fire rating for about 30 residences — including a subdivision on U.S. 165 — was downgraded from Class 6 to Class 10 because
they are too far from the nearest fire station, he said.
Fire districts are rated from Class 1 to 10. The lower the number, the better the rating.
“This is costing a lot of people more on their (fire) insurance because they are too far from a fire station,” he said. “They
are about seven miles away from the nearest fire station.”
Fire districts are graded every five
years by the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana. The agency
looks at factors
like manpower, equipment, water supply, number and location of
fire stations, training and communications. The rating affects
the cost of fire insurance in the district.
Fire District 5 is seeking a mutual aid agreement with a nearby fire station in Allen Parish to help provide coverage in the
district, Buller said.
“We need this agreement now,” he said, noting that funding from the capital outlay could take a year or more.
Fire District 5 serves the area north of Fenton, including the Buller and Pine Island areas.