New firefighting apparatus along North Westside Road is getting top marks from insurers.
The North Westside Fire Department’s fire boat has been accredited as an alternative water supply for public fire protection by the Fire Underwriters Survey.
“While private insurance carriers are not required to recognize the accreditation or adjust individual premiums, the Fire Underwriters Survey recommends that they do,” said Bruce Smith, Regional District of Central Okanagan communications officer.
“As a result, this means that some property owners with detached buildings within an eight-kilometer road travel distance of the North Westside fire halls in Killiney Beach and Short’s Creek and within 300 meters of the shoreline, may be eligible to receive reduced fire insurance premium rates.”
These affected areas serviced by the fire boat qualify as if they were protected by a fire hydrant.
“Property owners with questions about whether the accreditation will affect their individual homeowner insurance should contact their insurance provider,” said Smith.
The FUS recognition is based on several elements including written operational guidelines for the marine vessel, proper training records for those volunteer firefighters that use the mobile water supply boat, ongoing training and skill levels of boat operators and housing the vessel in a boathouse on Okanagan Lake.
