Indian Valley Fire & Rescue is having to deal with insurance 1,000% times higher than they are used to, and it might end up bringing them down according to Fire Chief Bob Orange.
"It's frustrating that you have a fully volunteer fire department that won't be able to protect it's community," said Chief Orange.
During the Dixie Fire, several of the volunteers at Indian Fire & Rescue lost everything while trying to protect Greenville and many other places.
According to Chief Orange:
- Auto policy for their fire engines would go from $4,400 to $45,000.
- Liability insurance for volunteers would go from $1,600 to $22,000.
- For their new building insurance it would go from around $4,500 to $53,000.
"Our normal budget is around $150,000," said Chief Orange. "With the new insurance premium we would have to pay somewhere around $207,000 a year or more. It's ridiculous."
Chief Orange went before the Plumas County Board of Supervisors to voice his frustration with the bump.
"I am pleased with all of the help we've gotten monetarily and we have gotten so much help," said Chief Orange. "But, I'm sorry I'm not going to give the $250 someone who has nothing gave us and hand it over to insurance. We had our local Lutheran Church give us a wonderful donation of $6,000 and that is so amazing. But it's ridiculous that it would immediately go to insurance. I don't want to have to do that."
For now, the Chief says they just want to get the word out so someone high up can help them out.
"Here's the thing, if we can't exist because of high premiums then everyone else in our area will see their insurance shoot up," said Chief Orange. "Insurance companies are putting a pure volunteer fire department out of business. By doing so they will be forcing homeowners and businesses to lose their insurance, causing rates to go up."