JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The Jackson Fire Department dropped from a Class 3 to a Class 4 rating, the first change in five years, after a state evaluation last Friday.

Fire Chief RaSean Thomas said the water system is largely to blame for the lower rating.

The national rating system evaluates fire protection using four components: emergency communication, the fire department, water supply and community risk reduction.

Emergency communication is worth 10 points. That includes emergency reporting, operators on duty and dispatch circuits that send crews out.

The fire department itself carries the most weight at more than 50 points. Staffing accounts for 15 points of that score, the largest portion in the department category. Inspectors also evaluate engines, ladders, training and response times.

Water supply is worth 40 points. Thomas said Jackson took the hit in this category. Inspectors evaluate water system capacity, hydrant installation and fire flow testing.

Community risk reduction adds six points. It focuses on prevention and code enforcement, public education and fire investigations.

If one component scores much weaker than others, it can drag down the overall score even if the fire department performs well in other areas.

The department declined to release specific numbers from the PPC report. Rating classes range from 1 to 10. A Class 4 rating means the department scored between 60 and just under 70 points. A score over 70 points would have maintained the Class 3 rating. The maximum score is 106 points.

Thomas said he plans to work with the City Council to pursue funding to address the issues. He said the problems will not be solved overnight.

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