Calera’s fire department received improved ratings Monday following recent inspections, giving homeowners in one of the state’s fastest-growing cities hope for lower insurance rates.

Calera Fire Chief Tommy Moon announced Monday that he received word from the state Insurance Services Office that the city’s fire rating dropped from a 5/9 to 4/9.

The first number refers to areas within a 5-mile radius of fire stations and within 1,000 feet of fire hydrants. The second number refers to areas outside of those boundaries.

Moon received the results from ISO on Monday, and the new rates become effective in November.

&uot;I was tickled to death to get that,&uot; Moon said during Monday’s Calera City Council meeting. &uot;It should help out all of the homeowners on the cost of their insurance.&uot;

Mayor George Roy complimented Moon on his work in the growing fire department.

&uot;You’ve done a lot of hard work, and now we’re seeing it pay off,&uot; Roy said.

The ISO report indicated the city was well-equipped and had a good water supply to combat fires, Moon said. Only one area hampered the department.

&uot;We did real well on everything except one thing – manning,&uot; he said.

ISO officials indicated that most departments suffer as a result of inadequate staff, Moon said.

&uot;We don’t have enough people,&uot; he said.

Currently, the Calera Fire Department employs 24 full-time staff and about 15 volunteers. Moon said the department could use as many as twice as many firefighters