Spokane Valley earned best rating in Eastern Washington; insurance rates likely to fall

Homeowners insurance in Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and Millwood just got a little cheaper as the Spokane Valley Fire Department received an improved rating from the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau.

Spokane Valley is only the fifth department to earn the rating statewide and the only department in Eastern Washington. Departments are scored on staffing, amount and quality of equipment, water supply and other factors, said Fire Chief Bryan Collins. The department previously had a Class 3 on a scale of 1-10 with a 1 rating the best.

“In order to change that rating, that’s really hard,” Collins said. “Just one point, like we did from a three to a two, takes years of effort. The board has invested in allowing us the assets to improve in those areas.”

Staffing has been increased in recent years and equipment was moved to create better coverage. Training was improved and the methods used to document training also changed. Collins said it’s hard to quantify how much was spent on improving the department’s rating.

“Everything we did served more than just that purpose,” he said.

The change in rating was effective April 1. Coincidentally, the department is rolling out some new additions this month but Collins said they aren’t connected to the rating.

On Monday, the department started using an Alternative Response Unit, a truck staffed by a paramedic and an EMT to respond to the simpler medical calls that don’t require an entire crew. The ARU based at the Evergreen Station will be staffed during peak hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. It’s similar to the ARU program run by the Spokane Fire Department.

The ARU is a pilot program scheduled to last for six months, Collins said.

“I want to look at the data in six months and see if it’s accomplished what we want it to accomplish,” he said.

Last month the department took possession of a brand new tiller-driver aerial ladder truck, which is an articulated truck that has a position for a second driver in the back. Despite being about 20 feet longer than most of the department’s engines, it can fit into smaller places and make tighter turns because it is articulated.

“These are the most maneuverable type of ladder trucks you can buy,” Collins said.

The department looked for a new ladder truck but had trouble finding one that complied with weight restrictions. Even though the tiller-driver truck is bigger, it has more axles to distribute the load and complies with the restrictions. The nozzle at the top of the ladder can pump out 2,000 gallons of water a minute rather than the 1,000 gallons a minute pumped by the department’s old ladder truck, Collins said.

The ladder truck, which is based at the Greenacres Station, also will come in handy with all the new apartment buildings going up.

“Some of them are very tight between the buildings,” he said.

People won’t see the new ladder truck on the street anytime soon, though. Four people are being trained on the new engine, including how to drive it. When those four become certified operators, they will train others in the department.

Firefighter engineer Shawn Pichette has had a few turns behind the wheel of the big engine.

“It’s getting easier,” he said. “The first time wasn’t very good.”

People living inside the Spokane Valley, Millwood and Liberty Lake city limits should call their insurance companies to notify them of the department’s new rating, Collins said. However, the unincorporated areas of Spokane County that are served by the department still have a Class 3 rating and won’t get an insurance discount.

The problem is that the more rural areas don’t have the water supply to meet the requirements of a Class 2 rating, Collins said.

“They don’t have the flow capacity and the piping,” he said. “That’s our biggest hurdle in those areas.”

Collins said he’s pleased to be among the four other cities in Washington who have achieved a Class 2 rating – Seattle, Bellevue, Federal Way and Olympia. No fire department in Washington has achieved a Class 1 rating.

“It’s pretty good company to be in,” Collins said. “It’s our way of adding value to the community.”

The amount consumers save will vary depending on the insurance company and type of coverage, said Allstate insurance agent Veronica Hawkins.

“Most insurers will receive a minor change in their premium,” she said.

Hawkins said she lives in Spokane Valley and already has called to get the change noted on her homeowners insurance. It takes a few days to process and Hawkins said she’s still waiting to see how much she’ll save.

“I’m hoping about 50 bucks, but we’ll see,” she said.

Most other fire districts in the area, which are more rural and serve homes that can be miles away from the nearest station, are rated a Class 4 or 5. The Spokane Fire Department is a Class 3.

Spokane has many high-rises downtown and the Spokane Valley area does not have any, said acting Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer.

“The city of Spokane is more urban,” Schaeffer said. “We’re much larger and much more dense. It’s a completely different system.”

Staff reporter Jonathan Glover contributed to this report.