By Ronnie Moore
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)

CATOOSA COUNTY, Tenn. — There is little question an agreement will not be reached before the May 15 deadline when Catoosa County stops providing funds to the Post Volunteer Fire Department for service in some unincorporated areas of the county, officials said.

There's a big question, though, about what effect that will have on about 8,600 homes outside the Fort Ogle- thorpe city limits that have had fire protection from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class 3 department.

"The ISO officials have told us the ISO rating is for a department and not an area," said Bill Cobb, an administrative captain with Post Volunteer, adding that Catoosa Fire & Rescue has an ISO Class 5 rating.

Mr. Cobb said residents outside Fort Oglethorpe who have been covered by Post Volunteer's Fire Stations No. 8 and No. 10 will find themselves protected by an ISO 5 department when the coverage area goes to the county.

"That may cost residential owners $1.3 million in higher insurance premiums," he said. "I hate to see the county make a big mistake and I know that's what they're doing."

Three fire departments operate in the county: Catoosa Fire & Rescue, the Fort Oglethorpe Fire Department and Post Volunteer Fire and Rescue. Post is incorporated and staffs the two Post fire halls and helps the Fort Oglethorpe Fire Department.

Despite discussion, studies and negotiations about consolidating fire services, no agreement has been reached.

And Catoosa County officials also disagree with Mr. Cobb's ISO contention.

They say the Insurance Services Office has said the ISO rating will not change for county areas previously covered by Post between Fort Oglethorpe and the interstate.

County Manager Mike Helton said information from an ISO representative is still being reviewed.

But, "Our goal is to improve the county ISO rating," he said. "We expect no problem having an improved rating within a year."

Mr. Cobb said Post Volunteer worked for five years with former Fort Oglethorpe Fire Chief Randy Camp to make the improvements that let Fort Oglethorpe/Post coverage earn an ISO 3 rating.

"The ISO rating is from one to 10, with one being the best," he said. "The rating score is based on 10 percent communication, 40 percent water supply and 50 percent department personnel and equipment."

To bolster its fire service, Catoosa County has filled 30 new full-time firefighter positions in the past two years, primarily to work day shifts with the idea the much less expensive existing force of volunteers could provide coverage at night.

Mr. Helton said he still hopes Post Volunteer will become part of the county fire system, "because they're good folks and have a great resource."

Disagreement over coverage areas, ISO ratings, funding, volunteer vs. paid firefighters and other issues stepped up about a year ago to when Catoosa County officials formally said they wanted to consolidate the fire operations.

County Commissioner DeWayne Hill has served on the committee working to find common ground among the departments.

Discussions and negotiations over the past nine months have seen proposals and counter proposals, and no agreement.

Catoosa County has rejected coverage and funding proposals from Post Volunteer.

Post rejected a county proposal to put full-time firefighters at the Mack Smith Road station during the day and be staffed by volunteers at night.

All that talk has occurred in light of Catoosa County's plan to work something out, or to end on May 15 its payments. Those have been about $175,000 to Fort Oglethorpe and $220,000 to Post for operating expenses and coverage in unincorporated areas of the county.

Mr. Hill said he was told by ISO officials that the ISO 3 rating in areas like along heavily residential Mack Smith Road will not change unless Post pushes for an ISO evaluation.

He contends Post Volunteer personnel are upset the county will use two new fire trucks purchased with special purpose sales tax funds at other county stations rather than giving them to Post.

Post officials met with the county on April 24 and were told the county funding will indeed stop May 15, and Catoosa will put a temporary fire station at the West Side Voting building.

The county plans to use the temporary station and Station No. 6 on Three Notch Road to cover county areas previously covered by Post.

Mr. Cobb said Post Station 8 on Old Mill Road is within two blocks of Battlefield Parkway with six large churches, Boynton Elementary and the Catoosa Colonnade all close within the territory.

"Under county plans, after May 15 we will be at our station but not dispatched, while county units travel a far greater distance" to answer some fire calls, he said.

County residents in the affected areas said they prefer the shortest response times to their homes.

"It doesn't make sense to change and wait for a response from another station when the station here is so close," said Starr Holman, who lives near the Post Station 8 on Old Mill Road, between Battlefield Parkway and Boynton Drive.

Hyechong Headrick said service to her area has come from Post Station 8 for more than 20 years.

"If we wait for a fire truck from county Station 1 in Ringgold to come, we're going to be burned down," she said. "I would like to continue having service from the closest station."

Copyright 2008 Chattanooga Publishing Company