Perquimans County Emergency Services are excited to announce that Chief Lee Dail and the Belvidere Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire Department were recently recognized by the North Carolina Department of Insurance for their dedication and commitment to making their community a safer place to live. The commendation comes after a recent inspection completed by officials with the NC Department of Insurance Office and the Office of State Fire Marshal.
“I’d like to congratulate Chief Dail for the department’s performance and for the hard work of all the department members. The citizens should rest easy knowing they have a fine group of firefighters protecting them and their property in case of an emergency.” stated NC Insurance Commissioner, Mike Causey.
Inspections are required on a regular basis as part of the North Carolina Response Rating System (NCRRS) and it reviews several areas which include staffing, equipment, maintenance of equipment, communications capabilities, and the availability of a water source. The results of these inspections help determine homeowner’s insurance rates within that fired district. Effective September 1, 2022, homeowners in the Belvidere Fire District will now have a rating of 5, if they are within 5 road miles of the Belvidere Fire Station, regardless of the location of fire hydrants. Those within 6 miles of the Belvidere Fire Station will maintain the rating of 9E. Perquimans Emergency Services Director, Jonathan Nixon noted,“This is an excellent rating for a rural volunteer fire department and shows the dedication and continued commitment of our volunteer firefighters. These men and women train hard to ensure they are prepared when duty calls to help preserve life and property.”
When speaking of their success, Chief Dail stated, “Our volunteer members began preparing for this inspection about 4 years ago and it has been a team effort. To achieve the best rating possible, we had to ensure that all the necessary documentation was completed and logged. Due to these efforts, I am very proud that our department will be able to move from a 9E/10 to a 5/9E to help the citizens in our districts in both Perquimans and Chowan Counties.” Each year, volunteer firefighters must complete a minimum of 36 training and continuing education hours to remain active. In 2021, the 27 members of Belvidere Fire Department logged over 1,644 hours of training, which was nearly 700 more hours than the required amount.
Perquimans County Emergency Services would like to thank all the departments involved for constantly working to improve services provided to the citizens and visitors of Perquimans County.