Murphy Fire Department Achieves Historic Rating

Press Release

Murphy, NC –The Town of Murphy announced yesterday that the Murphy Fire Department has earned the highest fire insurance ratings in its history following the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal's (OSFM) 2026 inspection.

Effective October 1, 2026, the Town of Murphy Fire District will improve from a Public Protection Classification (PPC) of Class 3 to Class 2, while the Murphy Rural Fire District will improve from Class 4 to Class 3. The new ratings place the department among North Carolina's highest-performing fire agencies and make Murphy the only fire department west of Buncombe County to hold a Class 2 rating.

Mayor Tim Radford called the announcement a proud moment for the entire community. "This is an accomplishment that belongs to every citizen who has supported our Fire Department through the years," Radford said. "Our Council has remained committed to investing in public safety because protecting lives and property is one of our most important responsibilities. Chief Lovingood and every member of the Murphy Fire Department have earned this recognition through professionalism, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to serving others."

The OSFM inspection evaluates a community's emergency communications, firefighter staffing, training, apparatus, water supply, fire prevention programs, and community risk reduction efforts. The rating is one of the most comprehensive evaluations of a fire department's ability to protect life and property.

Since the department's last inspection in 2021, Murphy has expanded around-the-clock staffing, increased part-time operational coverage, enhanced training, and continued investing in equipment and operational readiness. Department personnel completed more than 29,000 hours of training over the past five years, including more than 7,000 hours during 2025 alone, demonstrating an exceptional commitment to professional excellence.

Fire Chief Al Lovingood said the achievement reflects years of preparation and teamwork. “Today is a great day for our community,” said Fire Chief Al Lovingood. In addition to demonstrating efficiency, this is a valuable economic development incentive, especially for businesses and industry considering locating here. Our goal is simple: to be an asset to those we serve. We are blessed to receive such great support from our community, and our community should be proud of the men and women who serve with our department. Any department can have the greatest of capital assets, but without dedicated, knowledgeable, trained personnel - those assets are useless,” continued Lovingood.

Beyond recognizing operational excellence, the improved ratings may qualify many homeowners and businesses for lower property insurance premiums, depending on their insurance carrier. The ratings also serve as a valuable economic development asset by demonstrating that Murphy provides exceptional fire protection for existing and prospective businesses.

The Town recognizes the contributions of the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, Cherokee County Emergency Services, Cherokee County 911 Communications, the Murphy Water Department, Public Works, Murphy Power Board, neighboring fire departments, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and numerous community partners whose cooperation helped make this achievement possible.

As Murphy celebrates this milestone, Town leaders emphasized that the accomplishment represents not a finish line, but a commitment to continuous improvement in protecting the community for years to come.