In a Fire Underwriter’s Survey, the department has received a rating of 5 for it’s ability to respond effectively to calls within five kilometres of the station. One is the highest rating a deparment can receive.
It’s received a rating of nine for areas beyond five kilometres.
Fire Chief Ken Roseborough says those scores are the highest a volunteer department can get.
He says their ability to respond effectively in rural areas has improved because of tanker shuttle accreditation the department has received along with shorter response times.
The Fire Underwriter’s Survey helps insurance companies determine what fire insurance premiums to charge to policy holders.
Roseborough says Hanover’s good ranking means rural residents could see discounts of five to 10 percent.
However, the survey does caution that Hanover should improve its inspection and maintenance of fire hydrants, and consider replacing some aging equipment in order to maintain its ranking.
Roseborough is confident those things can be taken care of and says the town has always been forward thinking when it comes to making sure the fire department is properly equipped and up to date.
The Hanover Fire Department responded to 82 calls in 2008, down from 87 in 2007.
Roseborough says they responded to only three structure fires last year, but many of the calls were related to concerns about carbon monoxide (CO).
He says homeowners now take the danger of carbon monoxide seriously and are rightfully concerned when a detector goes off.
Hanover firefighters responded to 13 motor vehicle related calls in 200, and 18 medical calls.
