Tower to help save insurance dollars

By Christopher Behnan
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

Hamburg Township firefighters expect to begin use of a planned burn exercise tower by early July—a project expected to help lower local homeowners' insurance rates.  The township Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved a final site plan for the tower, which will be built using funds set aside by Hamburg Fire Department Inc. — the private department that preceded the township-run fire department.

The tower, planned for construction near the township's wastewater treatment plant off Merrill Road, will be about 33 feet tall and consist of three stories. The building will have two enclosed burn rooms, and include features that will allow search-and-rescue and ladder training.

Fire Lt. Jeff Vaden said the tower will facilitate much-needed training for the department, and help lower the township's Insurance Services Office rating—a standard that can reduce homeowners' insurance rates.  ISO rates are calculated by a community's access to fire hydrants, response times and amount of department apparatus, among other factors.
Most home insurance companies recognize ISO ratings when calculating rates.

The township's ISO rating was reduced from 9/10 to 7/10 in 2004, and the department has set its sights on lowering it further, Vaden said. Lower ratings can lead to more favorable rates to consumers.

"We should hopefully see another reduction just like we've done in the past.  Having a decent training facility will get us huge points that we did not have before," he said.
Vaden said completion of a local water project through the Livingston Community Water Authority will also help lower the township's rating.

The tower will be custom designed for the department by Overland Park, Kan.-based WHP Training Towers.  Construction is expected to begin in early June and take about four weeks to complete.

Hamburg Fire Inc. turned over its remaining assets — roughly $188,000 — following the 2001 transition to the township department, but maintained control of how the funds would be spent.

The training tower is expected to cost about $230,000, with remaining funds being covered by existing township dollars.  Land for the project was donated by the township.