A new one bay fire station has been completed along Savannah Millard Road, which will lower the fire insurance rating for that area from a 10 to a 7.

McNeill Volunteer Fire Department Chief Donny Leonard said the idea to build the station came about when the department was able to buy a second freightliner, allowing the older one to be stationed in another part of the county.

Leonard said now that the new truck is located at the main station, they could put the 2004 freightliner at the newly built satellite station in Millard.

The need was there because fire insurance companies rate a department by how close each station is to a particular home. If a home falls outside of a five-mile road distance from a station, it is classified in the lowest possible rating, which is a 10. By building the new station, all homes within a five-mile road distance from the Millard station will now receive a discount. Leonard said the McNeill Volunteer Fire Department has a rating of 7.

To built the station, general funds were used as part of the savings Leonard found by not taking pay to be the chief. He said the station cost about $25,000 in all to build. Land for the facility was already owned by the county.