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Northwest Moyock residents renew calls for new fire station and lower ISO rating
Summary
Residents of the Northwest Moyock area told the Currituck County Board of Commissioners that high ISO ratings, long distances to stations and lack of hydrants raise homeowner insurance costs and public‑safety risk; speakers asked the county to prioritize a new station and engage volunteers on deployment and TRC review comments.
Multiple residents and volunteer stakeholders spoke during public comment on March 3 about fire protection, emergency medical services and an insurance‑rating (ISO) of 10 in northwest Moyock.
Resident Joseph F. Hobbs told the board that the Northwest Moyock community has an ISO rating of 10, is more than five miles from the nearest fire station and lacks public water and hydrants. "A new fire station is needed immediately to provide proper fire protection and EMS services," Hobbs said, and he asked the county to meet with residents. Charles Head, who lives on Northwest Backwoods Road, said homeowner insurance premiums in his area had risen from about $2,000 a year to $5,000 over four years.
Todd Mitchell, who identified himself as a VFAB participant and volunteer‑interest speaker, urged that the county's fire chief and volunteer leadership use the Technical Review Committee (TRC) comment process to flag developments where staffing or water supply would make a project premature. Mitchell said the county's SOGs and current rotation of medics can increase response times and urged that the TRC and staff make proactive comments on development plans to protect response capacity.
Why it matters: Multiple speakers said insurance costs and public‑safety risk stem from long response distances and absence of hydrants. Hobbs referenced a new subdivision, Backwoods Farm, of 20+ lots (10‑acre lots) coming into the area; speakers said many future homeowners may not understand higher insurance costs tied to ISO ratings and water infrastructure.
Board response and next steps: Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and noted the county has discussed a second Moyock station in planning. Members of the board and staff said they would coordinate follow‑up; residents requested a public meeting with county officials to discuss infrastructure, station siting and steps to reduce ISO ratings.
Ending: Speakers left petitions and asked staff to scan submissions into the public record. No formal board action or vote occurred during the meeting; residents asked for a targeted county response and timeline.
