Hart County ISO Rating Rises After Recent Inspection

Hart County is working toward lowering its ISO rating after changes in how the ratings are calculated have caused it to increase.

At their meeting this week, County Administrator Terrell Partain went over each of the County’s fire service areas and how they were rated during a recent ISO inspection.

Overall, the County’s new ISO score went up slightly falling short in areas such as Water Supply, Response, and Training.

Partain said over the past 10 years since the last inspection, the County’s ISO rating has gone up from a 4 to 4.72 because of changes in the ISO evaluation process.

Partain said one big area where there’s been a change in how fire departments are rated is training. He added that the ISO training requirement is much higher than what even the State requires.

He added that the ISO inspection also lowered their score on the water supply because they no longer count water tanker trucks that ferry water to fire scenes in areas where there are no fire hydrants nearby.

Commissioner Joey Dorsey is a volunteer firefighter.

He noted other big problems the County faces include the loss of senior firefighters who are retiring and how to keep recruits long-term.

Partain concluded his report by saying that the County’s long-range plan includes having paid full-time firefighters available 24 hours, which he said will require a facility to house them.

He said a budget for fire departments is included in SPLOST VI but the County will have to decide whether to use that money to build a new 24-hour firehouse or raise the fire department millage to pay for it.

Either way, he said paid 24-hour firefighters and a new firehouse are in the County’s long-range plans.