By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Residents in Schoenchen will see an reduction on insurance costs because of the continued improvements to the Ellis County Fire Department.

Ellis County Director of Fire and Emergency Management Darin Myers informed the county commission Monday that the Public Protection Classification for Company 8 in Schoenchen improved from a 7 and a 9 rating to a 6 for within 1,000 feet of a hydrant and a 6 X within 5 miles of a fire station.

“More good news to the community members of Ellis County,” Myers said. “Basically every incorporated town and most of the areas surrounding those have all got ISO improvements this year.”

Myers said the change in ratings starting going into effect June 1 and the last ones, in Ellis, will go into effect July 1.

The evaluation was done in December by the Insurance Services Office. Myers said in April that Company 4 Victoria, Company 5 Hays and Company 6 Ellis all saw a rating increase.

The city of Hays also received a rating increase earlier this year.

In other business the commission, with very little discussion, gave Myers the go-ahead to draft a resolution approving the discharge of fireworks within the unincorporated areas of Ellis County.

The county has allowed fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday each of the last three years and Myers said there were not any fireworks-related incidents in the county in 2017.

He also recommended the 2018 dates and times that fireworks are allowed as the same as the city of Hays.

The commission also gave Myers the approval to sign a memorandum of understanding between Ellis County Fire and EMS and RPM Speedway.

Both fire and EMS provide standby services during races at the racetrack and the updated memorandum added provisions that clarify what emergency personnel expect from track volunteers during “red flag” situations.

The commission also approved the promotion of Firefighter Shaun Burd to Fire Captain for Ellis County Fire District Company 6 Ellis.