Latest News – April 24

Where There’s Smoke, There’s (good) Fire News!

Looking to save a little money on your property and home insurance? Well, this good news could do just that!

The Leadville/Lake County Fire Department responds to a 911 call in February. File photo: Leadville Today.

The Leadville/Lake County Fire Department (LLCFD) fire risk rating has improved from 6 to 3 effective May 1, 2016 for properties within a 5 (road) mile radius of the fire station, and up to 1,000 ft. from a hydrant.

According to a media advisory released last week by the Lake County Office of Emergency Management, an analysis of the structural fire suppression delivery system in the community was conducted by ISO, a company that evaluates municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States, using the Public Protection Classification Program (PPC).

Most insurance companies use PPC information for underwriting and calculating fire insurance premiums for residential, commercial and industrial properties premiums, generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection. This improved fire risk rating may result in lower fire insurance premiums for local residences and businesses.

Property owners should notify their insurance companies of the revised Leadville rating, which improved from 6 to 3 on a scale of 1-9 (1 being best) and a Lake County rating of 03/3X, to determine if property insurance premiums can be lowered.

Emergency Manager Mike McHargue conducts a “Mock” emergency training session in August 2013. Volunteer opportunities with the Lake County Office of Emergency Management are available. For info contact a Public Information Officer at 719-486-5454.

The analysis assesses four categories. The first is emergency communications and how well the fire department receives and dispatches fire alarms. The second is fire department training, fire department equipment on hand, and regular maintenance and testing of the equipment. The third is sufficiency of the community water supply, fire hydrants and flow testing, and distance of fire hydrants from representative locations. The fourth is community risk reduction, which assesses the Fire Prevention Code adoption and enforcement capabilities of a community.

Parkville has supported this effort by changing out older hydrants to newer and better hydrants and now use “waterous” hydrants allowing for greater water flow.  The Canterberry tunnel is also now added to the water distribution.   The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Emergency Manager also worked to improve the ratings by updating the dispatch center to improve communications.

Colorado State Forest Service Grant for 2016 & More

In other hot news, while it’s hard to think about wildfire season with all of the recent and ongoing moisture, the truth is the fire season will soon be upon us. Fortunately, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District and members of the Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative were successful in gaining a grant to implement a fire mitigation program to help Lake County be “fire wise” and prepared.  The initial project is the thinning of State Land in the Twin Lakes area. 

A grant will pay to thin 40 acres of lodge-pole pine in the Twin Lakes area. Photo: Leadville Today

The second part of this grant offers a wildfire risk assessment to homeowners in the southern part of Lake County.  The Coordinator, Caroline Schaefer, will meet with homeowners individually to review their property, assess their fire risk, and talk through mitigation opportunities.  Homeowners participating in this program will also receive a copy of a map of the area identifying fire risk areas.

Homeowners in the southern part of the county are encouraged to work with their homeowners’ association or contact Caroline directly at 503-539-9483 to take advantage of this opportunity.  This project will help insure water quality for the Arkansas River Basin and allow homeowners in the area to be better educated on ways to protect their homes and property in the event of a wildland fire.