Nesquehoning is preparing for an evaluation of its community fire services, a factor that is used in part of setting insurance premiums on properties.

Last week, John McArdle, the Nesquehoning emergency management coordinator and Nesquehoning Hose Company fire chief, told borough council that he received notice from the Insurance Services Office Inc. of plans to evaluate the borough.

The evaluation will look at the three fire companies that cover Nesquehoning, including the apparatus, record keeping, equipment, staffing, response times and water supply availability.

This evaluation, McArdle noted, will also take place throughout Carbon County.

“ISO periodically evaluates all communities and areas that have public fire protection to assure that the existing public fire protection is available to individual property owners,” he said.

The insurance classification number that the evaluation determines is one of several factors used in property insurance premium calculations on properties in a municipality.

McArdle said the last time Nesquehoning was evaluated was in 2000.

In other fire matters, council agreed to pay 50 percent of a 2001 pumper that Hauto Fire Company is buying.

The cost is approximately $100,000.