Non-profit Status
CVFD is now a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization filed with the Internal Revenue Service. It has been registered as Carson Volunteer Fire EMS Rescue Department (CVFERD); the Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is #922660592. The exempt status was recognized in March 2023. The new non-profit board consists of Scott Freeman, (1st Chair), Bill Howard (2nd Chair), Ellery Collins (Secretary), Traci McCall (Treasurer). One of the benefits for our fire department is that it will be able to receive tax-deductible donations in its own right.
ISO Rating Improvement
2023
Carson’s Fire Chief, Scott Freeman, reports that a Public Protection Summary Report for Carson, prepared by the Insurance Services Office, just recategorized Carson as a 06/6X from a 9. The lower the score the better. Scott’s team is working to reduce that number even more. That’s good news if you have your house insured against fire damage. Our new score became effective on August 1, 2023. This reduction reflects the work that your Carson firefighters have been doing to improve facilities and training in new skills over the last months. To understand the Carson assessment more fully, read the report on the Carson website. This new rating affects all properties within a 5-mile radius of the fire station.
If you have your house insured against fire damage, you should print the new ISO Certificate that is lodged on the Carson website, and send it along to your insurer and ask for a reduction in your premium.
2020
The Carson Volunteer Fire District or CVFD (formerly the Carson Fire and Rescue Department CFRD) has worked diligently with the NM State Fire Marshal to improve Carson’s local fire-fighting capabilities. In 2020, CVFD secured a NM Fire Protection Grant Award of $140,151.20 from the Fire Service Support Bureau of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission for the development of a dedicated fire suppression water supply. This was part of a broader plan to raise the rating of the CVFD from ISO9 to ISO8. ISO is short for Insurance Service Office. The New Mexico Fire Service Support Bureau inspects each fire department to assess their ISO score.
The largest contributor to a good ISO score (the best is 1) is the availability of water. The grant CVFD received enabled them to drill a well (to 400 feet in depth, yielding 20 gallons a minute), and to install a 40,000 gallon pressurized water tank to store and deliver water. The grant will also contribute towards the construction of an addition to the existing buildings to serve as a training center for fire and rescue volunteers.
An improved ISO may have a positive effect on the home insurance rates of Carson homeowners. However, many changing factors contribute to that rate, so contact your insurer when the ISO8 rating is achieved by CVFD to see if you are eligible for a discount.
The Fire Service Support Bureau is responsible for the distribution of funds from the State Fire Fund and helps local fire departments in preparation of Insurance Service Office (ISO) surveys. The bureau also reviews fire apparatus specifications in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
References
ISO Ratings for Fire Departments https://www.powerdms.com/blog/iso-ratings-fire-departments/
NM Fire Protection Grant Awards Recipients 2020 https://www.nmdhsem.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FPGC-2020-Awards.pdf
Fire Service Support Bureau https://www.nmdhsem.org/state-firemarshal/fire-service-support/#service