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North Carolina Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey, has announced a new fire service rating for the Lewisville Fire Department. The inspection took place in February 2021. This rating inspection, conducted by the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM), is required on a regular basis as a part of the North Carolina Response Rating System (NCRRS). Among other things, it looks for proper staffing levels, sufficient equipment, proper maintenance of equipment, communications capabilities, and availability of a water source in the event of fire.

The NCRRS rating system ranges from 1 (highest rating) to 10 (lowest rating — not recognized as a certified fire department by the state), with most rural fire departments falling into the 9s category. Higher ratings indicate that a department is overall better equipped to respond to fires in its district. Higher ratings can also significantly lower homeowner and business insurance rates in the fire district.

The Lewisville Fire Department’s previous rating of Class 4, has improved to an impressive Class 2. Per published data provided by OSFM, Lewisville Fire Department becomes one of 38 Class 2 fire departments in North Carolina, and one of 1,673 Class 2 departments in the United States. Lewisville becomes the first volunteer fire department in Forsyth County to achieve a Class 2 rating. The new insurance rating takes effect on Aug. 1.

Commissioner Causey stated, “I’d like to congratulate Chief Needham for the department’s performance and for the hard work of all the department members. The citizens in the town and district should rest easy knowing they have a fine group of firefighters protecting them and their property in case of an emergency.”

“As the fire chief, I could not be more proud of the men and women that make up the Lewisville Fire Department,” Chief Darin Needham said. “We remain a volunteer fire department at heart, supplemented by a small number of career staff that ensures efficient and effective response when our volunteers are not available. At the end of the day, we truly are neighbors, helping neighbors. The dedication shown by each member of our department made this remarkable success possible. The Lewisville Fire Department was established in 1951, when the Lewisville Civic Club established a formal volunteer force to help protect local residents from the threat of fire. Today, we remain poised to respond not only to fire, but also various technical and water rescue events, provide hazardous materials mitigation, and offer emergency medical services within our district and adjacent communities. I offer my sincere thanks to our partner agencies: Clemmons, Courtney, Forbush, Forsyth County, and Vienna fire departments. Each of these organizations plays a vital role in the ratings process and everyday response to emergencies.”