Class 6 Fire Rating

Department growth is imperative to maintaining a Class 6 rating. As the city grows the criteria changes to reflect this growth and to maintain this important rating. It is our daily goal to maintain this rating by never becoming stagnant in training or equipment maintenance.

Everyone in our department understands the importance of our city reaching a Class 5 rating. It is part of our mission to reach this rating by the year 2000 and we are on target.

The reason that we have not reached the Class 5 rating is the physical growth of the city.

1. Hancock Medical Center is completing a $5 million expansion program.

2. Three high schools and four elementary schools are located in Bay St. Louis, all of which are going through major physical expansions.

3. Bay St. Louis has three child care centers.

4. Three residential care centers are located in Bay St. Louis, one of which is completing a major renovation and expansion.

5. Several large, high occupancy apartment complexes are located in Bay St. Louis.

6. Three multi-story hotels are located in Bay St. Louis.

7. Bay St. Louis has two mobile home parks and a two large campgrounds.

8. Casino Magic and its amenities are located in Bay St. Louis.

9. Bay St. Louis has a large stock of historic, wooden structures.

10. Our historic downtown is densely built with high occupancy rates maintained.

Yes, our sister city, Waveland has a Class 5 rating. However, they do not have the responsibilities for fire protection of such high occupancy buildings as the City of Bay St. Louis. Waveland's commercial density is not as compact as that of Bay St. Louis. Growth is a reason, not an excuse, for not having the Class 5 rating we desire.

Mississippi is one of the few states in the country that does not follow international standards for fire class ratings. Mississippi has its own system developed by the State Insurance Commission and administered by the State Fire Rating Bureau.

Equipment is second, only to the quality of fire fighter on staff, to being a professional, cost-effective, well trained fire department. The City of Bay St.Louis has invested heavily  in upgrading the equipment our department needs to effectively do our job. This new equipment and the physical changes made at the department were insurance that we maintain our Class Six rating and are poised to start the climb for a reduction in rating to Class Five.

The City invested  $308,415.00 for the design and delivering of a 1750 gallon per minute custom pumper from Ferrara Fire Apparatus

Bay St. Louis Department of Fire Prevention and Suppression now has an upgraded rescue truck to meet the many needs of a growing city that does not required the use of a larger pumper. ABC Services of Pass Christian  completed the exchange of equipment. Cost to the city was $45,000.

A utility body was purchased for the 1988 Ford F350 chassis that onginally served as the department's rescue truck . This truck now serves as a salvage, service,and   Hazardous material  response unit. This project $5,000.

The fire department converted its existing communication system to secure a frequency that onlyserves this department. A radio repeater system was installed, four additional alert radio pagers were purchased for relief fire fighters, and remote paging system was installed in all response vehicles. The city's investment was $18,000.

A static hose tester was purchased to perform the annual fire hose pressure test on all department hoses as required by the State Fire Rating Bureau. The tester was purchased for $1800.

Utilizing firefighter labor seven large glass windows on the two apparatus floors were enclosed and 50% of the station was repainted. These windows were removed to provide additional security and for safety in case of a hurricane or other severe weather conditions. Estimates to close the window areas were in excess of $5000 for labor only. Cost to the city for these improvements were $2500 for materials.

Fire Department 16