Many Abbotsford residents living in rural areas are now eligible to receive reduced fire insurance rates, Fire Chief Don Beer announced this week.
The cost reduction is due to Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service (AFRS) using an alternate water supply that improves firefighting services in rural areas, he said.
Beer said, previously, many of these properties faced high insurance rates because they were located too far from a fire hydrant.
AFRS received accreditation for the process it uses, Superior Tanker Shuttle Service, which involves transporting water in tankers from a source to the fire scene. It is viewed as an equivalent to fire-hydrant protection, Beer said.
He said during a review of the city’s fire insurance rating, Fire Underwriter’s Survey (FUS) officials recognized that AFRS had an “excellent process in place for addressing fires in rural locations.”
“FUS advised us that, if accreditation for this type of alternate water supply could be achieved, local property owners would then be eligible for improved fire insurance rates similar to those with municipal-type water supply systems.”
Beer said fire insurance rates are based on several factors, including the distance that a property is located from a fire station or water supply such as a hydrant.
